Sir Anthony Van Dyck (1599-1641) : A great Flemish painter, best known for his rich colors. Apprenticed to the other great Flemish painter of the era, Rubens, Van Dyck made a name for himself painting the aristocracy as idealized figures. This gained him a knighthood, but the fact that he brownnosed his way up should in no way detract from his incredibly vivid coloring, often doing Titian one better. His style went on to dominate the Flemish and English schools of art.