Flemish painting occupies four rooms on the first floor in the New Hermitage (rooms 245-247). Being one of the largest collections in the world, it contains the works by Peter Paul Rubens, Anthony van Dyck, Jacob Jordaens and FransSnyders, the famous artists of the 17th -century.

The seventeenth century marked the Golden Age of Flemish painting. The focal point of the exhibition is the paintings by Peter Paul Rubens (room 247), whose work as the leading artist of the Flemish school of painting is represented by a variety of genres: landscape, portrait, biblical and mythological subjects. Among the most notable works are “The Union of Earth and Water”, “Perseus and Andromeda” and “Bacchus”.

The work of the celebrated Flemish portrait painter Anthony van Dyck is represented in the Hermitage by 24 paintings, most of which being displayed in the adjoining room (246). Large-scale paintings by FransSnyders from the “Shops”series, the hunt scene paintings by Paul de Vos and “The Bean King” by Jacob Jordaens give an insight into the diversity of subject genres practiced by 17th-century Flemish masters (room 245).