Peter Paul Rubens: Self-Portrait and his first wife Isabella Brant in the Honeysuckle Bower (1609)

(Alte Pinakothek, Munich, Germany)

This is a double portrait of the newly wed artist and his first wife. Both are holding their right hands - a symbol of union through marriage. The honeysuckle is a symbol of love. The couple married on 3 October 1609. They had three children: Clara, Nikolaas and Albert. Isabella died of the Bubonic plague on July 15, 1626. The painting gives an nice example of the clothing of this period. This painting is from 1609.