Rubens Garden

Klara Alen is research curator of the historical garden of the Rubenshuis in Antwerp and researcher for Rubens' country estate 'Het Steen' in Elewijt. She studied art history at the University of Leuven and art market studies at the VU Amsterdam. Klara obtained her PhD in art history in the spring of 2017 as a researcher of Project Cornelia (www.projectcornelia.be). Her doctoral dissertation takes an inclusive look at the Antwerp tapestry industry (1660-1720) through art historical research, archival research, data visualisation and data analysis. The project was supervised by Koen Brosens and co-supervised by Katlijne Van der Stighelen, Neil de Marchi, Hans J. Van Miegroet and Paul McLean. Klara has published papers and given lectures on the early development of still life painting in the Northern and Southern Netherlands, 17th century Antwerp horticulture, Rubens' garden, women artists and the social and entrepreneurial strategies of early modern artists and art dealers. Together with Sam Segal, Klara is the author of Dutch and Flemish Flower Pieces. Paintings, Drawings and Prints up to the Nineteenth Century (Brill, 2020).

• HISTORICAL RESEARCH FOR THE RUBENS GARDEN19 Embellishing the garden24 Willem and Jaspar, Rubens’s gardeners30 Atro telluris occulta. Hidden in the darkness of the earth35 The portico: the crown jewel of the Rubens Garden42 The pavilion: the eye-catcher46 The berceau54 Antwerp city gardens in Rubens’s time57 From the library of Rubens and his son Albert62 The flower catalogue of a Brussels painter66 Painted flower pieces for the Rubens GardenA SMALL FLORILEGIUM OF THE RUBENS GARDEN78 Aquilegia vulgaris / Columbine81 Borago officinalis / Borage85 Calendula officinalis / Marigold89 Citrus98 Cyclamen hederifolium / Sowbread103 Dianthus / Carnation109 Erythronium dens-canis / Dog’s tooth violet113 Ficus carica / Fig119 Fragaria vesca / Wild strawberry123 Fritillaria imperialis / Crown imperial126 Fritillaria meleagris / Snake’s head fritillary128 Humulus lupulus / Hop130 Jasminum / Jasmine133 Laurus nobilis / Bay tree137 Pyrus ‘Rousselet de Reims’ / Pear142 Rosmarinus / Rosemary145 Taxus baccata / Yew149 Tulipa / Tulip156 Further reading157 Photo credits