The great Flemish artist P.P. Rubens was not only the most famous painter of his time, but also a man of a brilliant mind, high culture, and a gifted diplomat. The book is the first attempt to bring together a variety of extant written sources characterizing the life and career of Rubens, his relationships with friends and customers. More than two-thirds of the material is first published in Russian. The publication is timed to coincide with the 400th anniversary of the artist's birth.