Helena Fourment


Helena Fourment or Hélène Fourment was the second wife of Baroque painter Peter Paul Rubens. She was the subject of a few portraits by Rubens, and also modeled for other religious and mythological paintings.

Family

Helena Fourment was the youngest child of Daniël I Fourment, a wealthy Antwerp silk and carpet merchant, and Clara Stappaerts. After his death, Daniel left to his son an important collection of carpets of Oudenaarde, Brussels, and Antwerp and 35 paintings of his son-in-law, a large painting of Jordaens and several works of Italian masters. They had four sons and seven daughters. Helena Fourment was buried together with her first husband, children and parents in the Saint James' church, Antwerp. Most of her sisters married into important families.
Daniel I Fourment, died 1643 : marr. Clara Stappaerts.
Married to Antonia van Hecke.
married to Clara Brant, sister of Isabella Brant .
married to Peter van Hecke, tapestry dealer.
married to Balthasar-Nicolaas de Groot.
married to Arnold Lunden, both painted by Rubens.
married to Henri Moens.
married to Peeter Hannecaert, Alderman.
married to Marie Volpi.
married 23 october 1627 to Nicolas Pycqueri, died 1661: almoner of Antwerp.
married to 1st Peter Paul Rubens, 2nd the 1st count of Bergeyck.

First marriage

Helena Fourment married Rubens on 6 December 1630 in Saint James, when she was 16 years old and he was aged 53. His first wife, Isabella Brant, had died in 1626. Helena's brother Daniël Fourment the younger was married to Clara Brant, the sister of Isabella. 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.
Peter Paul Rubens, marr. 2nd to Helena Fourment:
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. 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-Jacques, died during a diplomatic mission in Toulouse in 1681.
Jean-Baptist de Brouchoven, 1st count of Bergeyck; married to Helena Fourment
  1. #Jean de Brouchoven, 2nd Count of Bergeyck,, later created 1st Baron of Leefdael:
married to Livina Marie de Beer-Meulebeke.
  1. ##Nicolas-Joseph de Brouchoven, 3rd Count of Bergeyck, 2nd Baron of Leefdael:.
  2. #Hyacinthe-Marie de Brouchoven, Lord of Spy : 19th President of the Great Council;
married to Marie-Adrienne Zuallart.
  1. ##Guillaume-François de Brouchoven, Lord of Spy: dies without heirs.
  2. #Nicolas de Brouchoven, Lord of Attevoorde:
married to Marie-Isabelle de Pommereaux, Lady of Hove
  1. ##Henri de Brouchove, Lord of Hove
  2. #Catherine de Brouchoven:
married to Gilles de Paepe, Lord of Glabbeecq, son of Léon-Jean de Paepe.
  1. #Marie-Fernandine de Brouchoven: entered a Carmelite convent.
  2. #Hélène-Isabelle de Brouchoven; married Emmanuel-Joseph, Marquess of Villa-Flores
Helena died in Brussels in 1673. 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", and by the poet Gaspar Gevartius, a friend of Rubens, who praised "Helen of Antwerp, who far surpasses Helen of Troy".

Paintings

Helena Fourment

Portraits