Peter Paul Rubens Across the World: A Global Baroque
8 May 2027
10:00am-5:00pm
Continuing Professional Development Centre University of Oxford, Rewley House, 1 Wellington Square, Oxford, OX1 2JA
Event status:
Applications being accepted
Dates:
8 May 2027
Study Format:
In-person day/weekend
Fees:
£90.00
How did the art of one painter come to shape a global visual language? In this course, you will explore how Peter Paul Rubens became one of the most influential artists of the seventeenth century, and how his dynamic Baroque style travelled far beyond Antwerp. Working across royal courts, diplomatic networks, and religious institutions, Rubens developed a powerful artistic language that moved across Europe and into the wider world.
Across the day, you will follow how Rubens’ work circulated through prints, trade routes, and missionary networks, reaching places as distant as colonial Latin America. You will discover how artists in different contexts - such as New Spain - adapted his compositions, colour, and dramatic style to create new meanings. Along the way, we will explore the relationship between art, power, and religion, and consider how images could connect cultures while also reflecting the complexities of early modern global exchange. Designed for learners of all backgrounds, this event will offer new ways of understanding how art travels, transforms, and shapes a shared visual culture across continents.
Please note: this event will close to enrolments at 23:59 on 5 May 2027.
Book this course
Book your place online using the button below.
Accommodation
If you wish to stay with us before and/or after the event, please contact our Residential Centre for availability and discounted rates.
Call +44 (0) 1865 270362 or email res-ctr@conted.ox.ac.uk
Our accommodationour accommodation at Rewley House in Wellington Square has been rated as 4-Star Campus Accommodation under Visit England. All bedrooms are modern, comfortably furnished with tea/coffee making facilities, Freeview television, private bath/shower rooms and free WiFi. For more details see our accommodation information.
Recommended reading
Belkin, Kristin Lohse, and Peter Paul Rubens, Rubens (London: Phaidon, 1998).
Wedgwood, C. V, and Time-Life Books. The World of Rubens, 1577-1640. s.l: (Time-Life International, 1973).
Hyman, Aaron M. “Inventing Painting: Cristóbal de Villalpando, Juan Correa, and New Spain’s Transatlantic Canon.” The Art Bulletin (New York, N.Y.) 99, no. 2 (April 3, 2017): 102–35.
Programme details
10am
Rubens in Antwerp – Art, Power, and Patronage
We begin with Rubens’ career in Antwerp, exploring how he worked across courts, diplomatic networks, and religious institutions to develop a dynamic Baroque style.
11.15am
Tea/coffee break
11.45am
Art in Motion – Prints, Trade, and Exchange
We examine how Rubens’ compositions circulated through prints, workshops, and trade routes, allowing his style to travel across Europe and beyond.
1pm
Lunch break
2pm
A Global Baroque – Rubens Beyond Europe
We follow the spread of Rubens’ artistic language into colonial contexts, including New Spain, and explore how artists adapted his work to new cultural and religious settings.
3.15pm
Tea/coffee break
3.45pm
Art Across Cultures – Transformation and Meaning
We conclude by reflecting on how Rubens’ art was reinterpreted across cultures, and what this reveals about global exchange, power, and the formation of a shared visual language.
5pm
End of day
Fees
| Description | Costs |
|---|---|
| Event fee (includes tea/coffee) | £90.00 |
| Baguette lunch | £7.90 |
| Hot lunch (two-course) | £22.40 |
Funding
If you are in receipt of a UK state benefit, or are a care-leaver in the UK, you may be eligible for a reduction of 50% of tuition fees. Please see the below link for full details:
Concessionary fees for short courses
Payment
Please see the terms and conditions for our open-access courses.
Joaquin Cruz Lamas – Tutor
Joaquín Cruz Lamas teaches History of Art at the University of Oxford and has taught Philosophy at King’s College London and Universidad Panamericana, Mexico. He did an MA in Christianity and the Arts at King’s College London and has recently completed a doctorate in Theology and Religious Studies on sacred architecture, Marian devotion, and religious identity in colonial Mexico. His research focuses on the intersections of theology, philosophy, and visual culture, and he is currently developing a project on the devotional practices related to the Virgin of Guadalupe.
Please use the ‘Book’ button on this page. Alternatively, please contact us to obtain an application form.
Image credit: painting by Peter Paul Rubens – XgGjucvfTejNUg at Google Cultural Institute maximum zoom level, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=22189259
