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.
* Peeter Fourment, born 1590:
Married to Antonia van Hecke.
* Daniel II Fourment, Lord of Wijtvliet, born 1592:
married 23 october 1627 to Nicolas Pycqueri, died 1661: almoner of Antwerp.
* Helena Fourment :
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:
* François I Rubens, bapt. 12 July 1633: alderman of Antwerp in 1659, marr. Susanna-Gratiana Charles.
**Alexander Rubens, Lord of Vremdyck.
* Isabella-Helena Rubens, baptized 3 May 1635
* Peter III Paul Rubens, baptized 1 March 1637: ordained priest.
*Constantia-Albertina Rubens, baptized 3 February 1641: entered La Cambre Abbey in 1668.
Second marriage
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
#Jean de Brouchoven, 2nd Count of Bergeyck,, later created 1st Baron of Leefdael:
married to Livina Marie de Beer-Meulebeke.
##Nicolas-Joseph de Brouchoven, 3rd Count of Bergeyck, 2nd Baron of Leefdael:.
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
Helena Fourment in wedding dress, Munich, Alte Pinakothek, 1630-1631; a studio copy of this work is in the collection of the Rijksmuseum
Pörtrait of Helena Fourment with a glove", Munich, Alte Pinakothek
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
