Artus Quellinus II

Artus Quellinus II
Artus Quellinus II, in Cornelis de Bie's Het Gulden Cabinet
Born	(1625-11-15)15 November 1625
Died	22 November 1700(1700-11-22) (aged 75)
Nationality	Flemish
Known for	Sculpture
Movement	Baroque

Artus Quellinus II or Artus Quellinus the Younger (alternative first name: Arnold; variation on family name: Quellijn, Quellyn, Quellien, Quellin, Quellinius)(Between 10 and 20 November 1625, Sint-Truiden – 22 November 1700, Antwerp) was a Flemish sculptor who played an important role in the evolution of Northern-European sculpture from High Baroque to Late Baroque.

Artus Quellinus II was born into an artistic family. His uncle was the respected Antwerp sculptor Erasmus Quellinus I, whose son was Artus Quellinus I, the most successful Flemish Baroque sculptor of the mid 17th century. Artus II is likely to have received his training as a sculptor from his cousin Artus Quellinus I in Antwerp to where he must have moved from his native city of Sint-Truiden (then in the Prince-Bishopric of Liège, now in the Belgian province of Limburg). Artus Quellinus II became a master of the Guild of Saint Luke in Antwerp in 1650-51.

Artus Quellinus II married Anna Maria Gabron, the sister of the painter Willem Gabron, in 1653. The couple had six children of whom three became artists: Artus Quellinus III and Thomas Quellinus were both successful sculptors whereas Cornelis Quellinus became a painter about whom little is known.

The young Artus joined his cousin Artus Quellinus I in Amsterdam around 1653 where he became one of the members of the team of artists that worked under the direction of Artus I on the decoration of the newly built City Hall on the Dam Square.

The artist traveled to Italy and probably visited Turin, Florence and Rome between 1655 and 1657. He was back in Antwerp in 1657 and became an Antwerp burgher on 11 May 1663. His wife died on 15 October 1668 and the next year Artus remarried to Cornelia Volders. In the latter part of his life Quellinus received many commissions, primarily for church furnishings and tomb sculptures.