[MUSIC—PERIOD INSTRUMENTAL EXPRESSING PEACE, CONTENTMENT.] NARRATOR: Step back a few feet and look at this large painting all at once.

Peter Paul Rubens painted this portrait of himself with his wife and one of their children. How could Rubens paint a portrait of himself? Many artists paint self-portraits by studying their reflections in a mirror.

Rubens married Helena Fourment when he was a widower in his fifties. How old does Helena look here? You might think she’s around the same age as Rubens. Actually, she’s still a teenager, thirty seven years younger than her husband! She holds her little boy on a leading string, so he can’t wander off. He’s named Peter Paul, like his father. He’s only two or three, but he’s dressed like a tiny grown-up. This includes his blue sash and heavy shoes, and a flat, white collar like his father’s.

So where’s the story in this painting? It’s not a myth, a legend, or a biblical scene. Instead, Rubens painted this portrait as a kind of biography. It tells the story of three lives. Take a moment to look at every part of the painting. What does it say about the Rubens family? When you’re ready to continue, press the green PLAY button.