Jan Wildens

He was a regular collaborator with Rubens and other leading Flemish Baroque painters of his generation in whose compositions he painted the landscapes.

[2] Around 1615–1616 he created a series of 12 landscape paintings representing the 12 months of the year, roughly similar to his early drawings.

These paintings show his increasing interest in Realism, which was likely a result of his exposure to the landscapes of his compatriot Paul Bril who worked in Rome.

In this early period he produced a series of 12 drawings of the months, which were engraved and published by Hendrik Hondius, Jacob Matham and Andries Stock.

[5] In Italy Wildens discovered the landscape art of his compatriot Paul Bril with its realism and eye for detail.

He was responsible for the landscape backgrounds of various scenes in the designs of Rubens for the Decius Mus tapestry series and many history paintings by Rubens, including The Rape of the Daughters of Leucippus (c. 1618; Alte Pinakothek, Munich), Samson and the Lion (c. 1618; Private Collection), Cimon and Iphigenia (c. 1617–18; Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna) and Diana and her Nymphs Departing for the Chase (c. 1616; Cleveland Museum of Art).

Earlier influences on him such as Jan Brueghel the Younger and Paul Bril continued to play a significant role.

Wildens' works show a preference for a calm and gentle approach expressed in marked symmetry of composition and soft, subtle colours.