Humanist

Jan Sanders Van Hemessen, St.Jerome. © KBC, Erwin Donvil Rockox shared his knowledge of classical antiquity with prominent figures, antiquarians, artists and scholars alike. He built up an international reputation with his own splendid collection of antiques and ancient coins. In artists’ circles, he associated with a number of contemporaries including Pieter Paul Rubens (see below), Antoon van Dyck, who painted his portrait on several occasions and Frans Snijders, his closest neighbour in the Keizerstraat. Rockox also maintained close contact with the lawyer Hugo Grotius, the humanist Gaspard Gevartius, the classical philologist Justus Lipsius and the printers Jan and Balthazar Moretus. His house was an important meeting place for humanists.