| Landmark exhibition reveals influence of women on Rubens Hear the term "Rubenesque" and you'll probably picture a voluptuous female nude — but the artist's depiction of women is far more varied and nuanced than he's given credit for. Rubens' relationships with female patrons and family members had an enormous influence on his work, which you're invited to discover right now at Dulwich Picture Gallery. Rubens & Women, which closes on 28 January, brings together over 40 paintings and drawings — plus archival material — that reveal how women nourished his creativity and career. You'll encounter tender yet dignified Madonnas (The Virgin in Adoration before the Christ Child); powerful, muscle-rippled goddesses (Diana Returning from the Hunt, The Birth of the Milky Way); and regal portraits of noblewomen (Portrait of a Woman), set against strikingly intimate depictions of Rubens' loved ones (Clara Serena Rubens, the Artist’s Daughter). The exhibition has won glowing reviews for spotlighting a side to Rubens that has long gone overlooked, with critics calling it "a riotous feast" (Guardian), "unexpected, gripping" (Financial Times), and "heavenly" (Evening Standard). Remember, it disappears for good next week, so go and see it while you can! Image: Peter Paul Rubens and Frans Snyders, Diana Returning from the Hunt, c. 1623, oil on canvas, 136 x 184cm. Courtesy bpk | Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden | Elke Estel | Hans-Peter Klut | 
