Helena Fourment

{{Short description|Second wife of Peter Paul Rubens (1614–1673)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2022}} {{Infobox person | name = Helena Fourment | image = Jan Boeckhorst - Helena Fourment.jpg | alt = | caption = Portrait by Jan Boeckhorst, {{circa|1630}} | birth_name = | birth_date = 11 April 1614 | birth_place = Antwerp, Spanish Netherlands | death_date = {{death date and age|1673|7|15|1614|4|11|df=yes}} | death_place = Brussels, Spanish Netherlands | other_names = Hélène Fourment | relatives = {{plainlist| *Susanna Lunden (sister) *Alexander Rubens, Lord of Vremdyck (grandson) *Stéphanie, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg (great-great-great granddaughter) }} | spouse = {{plainlist| *{{marriage|Peter Paul Rubens|1630|1640|reason=died}} *{{marriage|Jean-Baptiste de Brouchoven|1645}} }} | children = 11, including Jean and Hyacinthe-Marie }} '''Helena''' (or '''Hélène''') '''Fourment''' (11 April 1614 – 15 July 1673) was the second wife of Baroque painter Peter Paul Rubens. She sat for a few portraits by Rubens, and also modeled for figures in Rubens' religious and mythological paintings.

==Family== Helena Fourment was the youngest child of Daniël Fourment the elder, a wealthy Antwerp silk and tapestry merchant, and Clara Stappaerts. She had four brothers and six sisters. After his death, her father left to his son Daniël II an important collection of tapestries of Oudenaarde, Brussels and Antwerp, 35 paintings of his son-in-law Rubens, a large painting of Jordaens and several works of Italian masters.<ref>De Vlaemsche school: tijdschrift voor kunsten, letteren en wetenschappen, Volume 9:p. 142</ref> Most of her sisters married into important families.

{{Tree list}} '''Daniel I Fourment, died 1643''' : marr. Clara Stappaerts.<ref>De Vlaemsche school: tijdschrift voor kunsten, letteren en wetenschappen, Volume 9:p. 142</ref>

** '''Peeter Fourment''', born 1590: ''Married to Antonia van Hecke''. ** '''Daniel II Fourment, Lord of Wijtvliet''', born 1592: ''married to Clara Brant, sister of Isabella Brant (1591–1626)''. ** '''Clara Fourment''', (1593-1643): ''married to Peter van Hecke (1591–1645), tapestry dealer''. ** '''Joanna Fourment''', born 1596: ''married to Balthasar-Nicolaas de Groot''. ** '''Susanna Fourment''' (1599–1628): married to Arnold Lunden, both painted by Rubens.<ref>{{cite book|last=Fahy|first=Everett|title=The Wrightsman Collection. 5. Paintings, drawings|year=1973|publisher=Metropolitan Museum of Art|isbn=9780870990120|page=196|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8CPBYq1mCZEC&pg=PA196 }}</ref> ** '''Maria Fourment''', born 1601: ''married to Hendrick Moens''. ** '''Catharina Fourment''', born 1603: ''married to Peeter Hannecaert, Alderman''. ** '''Joannes Fourment''', born 1609: ''married to Marie Volpi''. ** '''Jacob Fourment''', born 1611. ** '''Elisabeth Fourment''' (1609–1667): ''married 23 October 1627 to Nicolas Pycqueri, died 1661: almoner of Antwerp''.<ref>Notice des oeuvres d'art de l'eglise paroissaile ... de St. Jacques a ...</ref> **{{Tree list/final branch}} '''Helena Fourment''' (1614–1673): ''first married to Peter Paul Rubens and later to the 1st count of Bergeyck''. {{Tree list/end}}

== First marriage == Helena Fourment married Rubens on 6 December 1630 in the Saint James Church in Antwerp,<ref>De Vlaemsche school: tijdschrift voor kunsten, letteren en wetenschappen, Volume 9:p. 142</ref> when she was 16 years old and he was aged 53. Rubens' first wife, Isabella Brant, had died in 1626. Helena's brother Daniël Fourment the younger was married to Clara Brant, the sister of Isabella. Her father Daniël Fourment the elder was an art lover and possessed works by Rubens and Jacob Jordaens, and works by Italian masters; he also commissioned from Rubens a series of tapestries depicting the life of Achilles.<ref>{{cite book|last=Campbell|first=Thomas Patrick|title=Tapestry in the Baroque|year=2010|publisher=Metropolitan Museum of Art|isbn=9780300155143|page=28|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OIRLKoXkVnQC&pg=PA28 }}</ref>

{{main|Rubens family}} {{Tree list}} '''Peter Paul Rubens''', marr. 2nd to Helena Fourment: ** Clara-Joanna Rubens, baptized 18 January 1632: marr. Philips van Parys, knight ** Frans, bapt. 12 July 1633: alderman of Antwerp in 1659, marr. Susanna-Gratiana Charles. ***{{Tree list/final branch}}Alexander Rubens, Lord of Vremdyck. ** Isabella-Helena Rubens, baptized 3 May 1635 ** Peter III Paul Rubens, baptized 1 March 1637: ordained priest. **{{Tree list/final branch}}Constantia-Albertina Rubens, baptized 3 February 1641: entered La Cambre Abbey in 1668. {{Tree list/end}}

== Second marriage == thumb|Helena Fourment and the 1st Count of Bergeyck After the death of Rubens, Helena started a relationship with Jean-Baptiste de Brouchoven, assessor and alderman of Antwerp, who later became 1st Count of Bergeyk.<ref>{{cite book|last=Knackfuss|first=H.|title=Rubens|year=1904|page=158|publisher=BoD – Books on Demand |isbn=9783954910489|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iInWqsWP69MC&pg=PA158 }}</ref> On 9 October 1644 their first son Jean de Brouchoven, 2nd Count of Bergeyck, was born, and Helena and Jean-Baptist married in 1645. Her second husband, who was a military knight of St-Iago, outlived her and died during a diplomatic mission in Toulouse in 1681.<ref>Biographie universelle, Bon - Bru, Volume 5</ref> {{Tree list}}

'''Jean-Baptist de Brouchoven, 1st count of Bergeyck'''; married to ''Helena Fourment''<ref>Jean Charles Joseph de Vegiano, ''Nobiliaire des Pays-Bas et du Comté de Bourgogne''</ref>

##Jean de Brouchoven, 2nd Count of Bergeyck, (1644–1725), later created ''1st Baron of Leefdael'': ''married to Livina Marie de Beer-Meulebeke''. ###{{Tree list/final branch}}'''Nicolas-Joseph de Brouchoven, 3rd Count of Bergeyck''', 2nd Baron of Leefdael: (descendants upon today). ##'''Hyacinthe-Marie de Brouchoven, Lord of Spy''' (1650–1707): 19th President of the Great Council; ''married to Marie-Adrienne Zuallart''. ###{{Tree list/final branch}}Guillaume-François de Brouchoven, Lord of Spy: dies without heirs. ##'''Nicolas de Brouchoven, Lord of Attevoorde''': ''married to Marie-Isabelle de Pommereaux, Lady of Hove'' ###{{Tree list/final branch}}'''Henri de Brouchove, Lord of Hove''' ##Catherine de Brouchoven': ''married to Gilles de Paepe, Lord of Glabbeecq, son of Léon-Jean de Paepe''. ##Marie-Fernandine de Brouchoven: entered a Carmelite convent. ##{{Tree list/final branch}}Hélène-Isabelle de Brouchoven'; married Emmanuel-Joseph, Marquess of Villa-Flores {{Tree list/end}}

Helena died in Brussels in 1673 aged 59. She was buried together with her first husband, children and parents in the Saint James' Church in Antwerp. Amongst the many descendants of her grandson the ''3rd Count of Bergeyck'' we find Louis de Brouchoven de Bergeyck and his great-granddaughter Stéphanie, Hereditary Grand Duchess of Luxembourg.

== Presence == Helena Fourment was said to be very beautiful, amongst others by the Cardinal-Infante Ferdinand of Austria, then Governor of the Netherlands, stating that she was "undoubtedly the most beautiful one may see here",<ref>{{cite book|last=Liedtke|first=Walter A.|title=Flemish paintings in the Metropolitan Museum of Art|year=1984|publisher=Metropolitan Museum of Art|isbn=9780870993565|page=[https://archive.org/details/flemishpaintings0000metr/page/177 177]|url=https://archive.org/details/flemishpaintings0000metr |url-access=registration}}</ref> and by the poet Gaspar Gevartius, a friend of Rubens, who praised "Helen of Antwerp, who far surpasses Helen of Troy".<ref>{{cite book|last=Néret|first=Gilles|title=Peter Paul Rubens, 1577-1640|year=2004|publisher=Taschen|isbn=9783822828854|chapter=The Most Beautiful Woman in Antwerp|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=53R8xonE1KMC&pg=PA65 }}</ref>

==Paintings==

===Helena Fourment===

====Portraits==== <gallery widths="180px" heights="180px" perrow="8"> File:Peter Paul Rubens 088.jpg|''Helena Fourment'' by Rubens, c. 1630, Alte Pinakothek File:Rubens - Drawing of Helene Fourment.jpg|''Helena Fourment'' by Rubens, c. 1630, Cook collection File:Philip Fruytiers - The four children of Rubens and Helena Fourment with maids.jpg|''The four children of Rubens and Helena Fourment with maids'' by Philip Fruytiers, circa 1638-9, Royal Collection File:0 Hélène Fourment et deux de ses enfants - P.P. Rubens - Louvre (INV 1795) - (2).JPG|''Helena Fourment with two of her children'' by Rubens, c. 1635, Louvre File:Peter Paul Rubens - Helena Fourment with her Son Francis - WGA20388.jpg|Helena Fourment with her Son Frans by Rubens, c. 1634–1635, Alte Pinakothek File:Peter Paul Rubens - Hélène Fourment - Lissabon Museu Calouste Gulbenkian - 21-10-2010 13-18-39.jpg|''Portrait of Helena Fourment'', c. 1638, Museu Calouste Gulbenkian File:Rubens.Helene.Fourment.jpg|''Rubens with Helena Fourment and their son Peter Paul'' by Rubens, 1639, Metropolitan Museum of Art File:Peter Paul Rubens - Helena Fourment with a Carriage - WGA20391.jpg|''Helena Fourment with a Carriage'' by Rubens, 1639 File:Peter Paul Rubens - Rubens and his second wife in the garden.jpg|''Helena Fourment with her first husband Rubens and their child Nicolaas'' by Rubens </gallery>

*''Helena Fourment in wedding dress'', Munich, Alte Pinakothek, 1630–1631; a studio copy of this work is in the collection of the Rijksmuseum *''Portrait of Helena Fourment with a glove'', Munich, Alte Pinakothek (same as above?) *''Helena Fourment with her eldest son Frans'', 1635, Munich, Alte Pinakothek *''Rubens and Helena Fourment walking in their garden'', Munich *''Helena Fourment with her children Clara, Johanna and Frans'', 1636-1637, Louvre *''Helena Fourment and Frans Rubens'', Louvre *''Rubens, his wife Helena Fourment, and their son Peter Paul'', c. 1639, Metropolitan Museum of Art *''Portrait of Helena Fourment(?)'' a studio work in the collection of the Royal Museum of Fine Arts in Brussels *''Portrait of Helena Fourment(?)'' a 17th-century work from Antwerp, Rubenshuis

====Model==== <gallery widths="180px" heights="180px" perrow="8"> File:Peter Paul Rubens - Helena Fourment in a Fur Robe - Google Art Project.jpg|''Helena Fourment in a Fur Wrap'', also known as ''Het Pelsken'' by Rubens, 1636-1638, Kunsthistorisches Museum File:Peter Paul Rubens - Pastoral Scene - WGA20325.jpg|Pastoral Scene File:Peter Paul Rubens - Andromeda - Google Art Project.jpg| Andromeda File:Peter Paul Rubens - Venus. Mars and Cupid.jpg|Venus, Mars and Cupid File:Peter Paul Rubens 018.jpg|The feast of Herodes and Salome File:Peter Paul Rubens - The Birth of the Milky Way, 1636-1637.jpg|''The Origin of the Milky Way'' File:Peter Paul Rubens - The Judgment of Paris - WGA20312.jpg|''Judgment of Paris'' File:The Three Graces, by Peter Paul Rubens, from Prado in Google Earth.jpg|''The Three Graces'' File:Peter Paul Rubens - Venus Feast (detail) - WGA20317.jpg|''Feast of Venus'' (detail) </gallery>

*''Judgment of Paris'', Museo del Prado (the Venus-figure is modelled on Helena Fourment) *''The Garden of Love'', Prado, 1630–1633 *''Het Pelsken'', 1638, Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna *''The Origin of the Milky Way'', {{circa|1637}}

===Siblings: Clara van Hecke née Fourment, and Susanna Lunden née Fourment=== <gallery widths="180px" heights="180px" perrow="8"> File:Peter Paul Rubens 207.jpg|''Portrait of a woman, possibly Clara Fourment'' by Rubens, c. 1630, Mauritshuis File:Le Chapeau de Paille by Peter Paul Rubens.jpg|''The Felt Hat, probably a portrait of Susanna Fourment'' by Rubens, c. 1622, National Gallery File:Susanna Fourment and Her Daughter.jpg|''Susanna Fourment and her daughter'' by Anthony van Dyck, 1621, the National Gallery of Art </gallery>

==Notes== {{reflist}}

==Further reading== *{{cite book|last=Brendel|first=Maria L.|title=Die Macht der Frau. Rubens' letztes Modell Helene Fourment|year=2011|publisher=Parthas|location=Berlin|isbn=978-3-86964-037-2|language=German}} *{{cite book | author=Liedtke, Walter A. | title=''Flemish paintings in the Metropolitan Museum of Art'' | location=New York | publisher=The Metropolitan Museum of Art | year=1984 | url=https://archive.org/details/flemishpaintings0000metr | isbn=0870993569 | url-access=registration }} (see index, v.1; ''Lunden, Susanna (née Fourment)'' for information about her daughter)

==External links== *{{Commons category-inline|Helena Fourment}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fourment, Helena}} Category:1614 births Category:1673 deaths Category:Models from Antwerp Category:Family of Peter Paul Rubens Category:Brouchoven family Category:Women from the Spanish Netherlands Category:People from the Spanish Netherlands Category:Wives of knights