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Rick Steves' Europe
Art Bites 177: Rubens, a Master Painter of the Northern Renaissance
Peter Paul Rubens, a prolific Belgian painter, painted small sketches that his studio would then paint big, enabling him to crank out countless grand canvases: mythic battles, Catholic miracles, bloody hunts, and fleshy “Rubenesque” women.
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25:33
Warsaw's heavy history and lively bustle; red-brick Toruń; Malbork Castle; maritime Gdańsk.

24:56
Kraków's grand square, Wawel Castle, communist-era Nowa Huta; sobering Auschwitz-Birkenau.

25:34
The ultimate road trip; Lake Mývatn; Eastfjords; lagoons and waterfalls; Westman Islands.

25:38
The vibrant capital; Blue Lagoon; Golden Circle's majestic nature; Snæfellsnes Peninsula.

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25:16
The turbulent century and its rule-breaking art—Picasso, Surrealism and edgy architecture.

28:26
Shimmering Impressionist canvases by Monet and Renoir, plus Van Gogh, Gauguin and more.

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25:18
Roaming Europe, we admire stately Neoclassical buildings and dramatic Romantic paintings.

28:22
We marvel at Baroque’s over-the-top churches, palaces, bubbly fountains, and theatric art.

28:42
From Portugal to Germany, booming economies and new technologies produce exquisite art.

28:03
Florence’s bold “rebirth” is powered by the genius of Leonardo, Rafael, and Michelangelo.

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25:36
Soaring Gothic cathedrals of radiant stained glass, plus art celebrating worldly pleasure.

25:18
Early Europeans produce diverse art: from Christians to Muslims and Byzantines to Vikings.