Rubens designed an Italian portico for his house and studio in Antwerp as an entrance gate to the garden. When the museum bought it, it turned out that it still existed, but it had been painted, raised and closed almost beyond recognition. Emiel van Averbeke paid a lot of attention to the portico. He recommended lowering the portico and removing the layers of paint. The facade was redeveloped architecturally. Prints, paintings and drawings from Rubens' time were collected to make the reconstruction as historically accurate as possible.
Source: Anonymous, 1950-1960, Rubenshuis, portico during restoration, arch, Rubenshuis, Copyright protection not known