The Artist

Justus Sustermans (1597-1681) was a Flemish Baroque painter best known as the leading court portraitist of the Medici family in Florence. Trained in Antwerp and influenced by Rubens and Van Dyck, Sustermans combined Flemish realism with Italian elegance, creating refined, lifelike portraits that captured both the grandeur and personality of his sitters. His works offer a vivid glimpse into the cultural and political world of 17th-century Florence.