Portrait of a Carmelite friar (Gaspar Rinckens?)

This portrait of a young member of the clergy shows the high quality of Rubens' portraiture. Based on the stylistic characteristics, primarily the great plasticity, the date of the work can be set around 1615. The identification causes several problems. According to some, the person portrayed is Gaspard Rinckens, the 21st prior of the Calced Carmelites in Antwerp. Rinckens, whose monastery was located opposite Rubens' house on the Wapper, was particularly interest in the history of his order and devoted himself to the sick during an outbreak of the plague. The question that arises is why Rinckens, who would only become prior in 1622, had already been painted by Rubens in 1615., The Antwerp painter Anthonie van Dijck painted this masterpiece when he was about 20 years old. Rubens' best pupil shows here an amazing virtuosity. This fine example of the Flemish Baroque is dominated by the monumental and expressive figure of St Jerome, recognisable by his red cloak and the lion. This sleeping lion was literally borrowed from a drawing by Rubens. Just like his teacher Rubens, Anthonie van Dijck had his own studio with several assistants when he was still young. He made a second version of this painting of St Jerome with the help of his assistants. This painting can be found in the collection of the Stockholm National Museum.