From the museum website, 6 March 2013
Peter Paul Rubens (1577–1640) enjoyed a great reputation throughout Europe during the baroque period in the 17th century. After his eight-year stay in Italy, he came back to Antwerp to run a large studio there and produced a large number of masterpieces. This exhibition features his works from his Italian days, as well as shedding light on his activities at the studio in Antwerp by showing not only his own prominant works but also works of his studio, those he created jointly with other masters and those who were created under his immediate supervision. In addition, independent works by painters who were working in his studio are also displayed in order to explore the rich artistic development of the Antwerp school.