The Flemish School designates painting that flourished from the early 15th century through the 17th century, gradually distinguishing itself from other artistic production in the Low Countries. Historically, the term refers to the County of Flanders and adjacent regions such as the Tournaisis and the Duchy of Brabant. The early phase, extending to approximately 1520, is often encompassed within Early Netherlandish painting, with the Flemish south holding a dominant position.
Antwerp became a significant center during the period of Dutch and Flemish Renaissance painting, which extended to around 1580. The first half of the 17th century saw the particular importance of Flemish Baroque painting, notably dominated by Peter Paul Rubens. Flemish artists were influential across Northern Europe, drawing promising young painters and receiving invitations to work at foreign courts, thereby exerting a Europe-wide impact.
The artistic legacy of the Flemish School continued to evolve, with painters contributing to its reputation again after the Napoleonic era. Specific regional developments, such as the Brugse School around 1900 and the Latemse School, emerged in the 19th and 20th centuries, further extending the tradition.
