Quentin Matsys

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Quentin Matsys
Quentin Matsys, engraved by Johannes Wierix with Dominicus Lampsonius' poem about how Matsys' girlfriend preferred the quiet paintbrush to the heavy noise of hammering
Born1466 (1466)
Leuven, Belgium
Died1530 (aged 63–64)
Antwerp, Belgium
NationalityFlemish
Known forReligious and satirical portraits
Notable workThe Ugly Duchess
MovementAntwerp School

Quentin Matsys

Early Netherlandish tradition. He was born in Leuven. There is a tradition alleging that he was trained as an ironsmith before becoming a painter. Matsys was active in Antwerp for over 20 years, creating numerous works with religious roots and satirical tendencies. He is regarded as the founder of the Antwerp school of painting, which became the leading school of painting in Flanders in the 16th century. He introduced new techniques and motifs as well as moralising subjects without completely breaking with the tradition.[2]

Early life

Most early accounts of Matsys' life are composed primarily of legend and very little contemporary accounts exist of the nature of his activities or character. According to J. Molanus' Historiae Lovaniensium Matsys is known to be a native of Leuven with humble beginnings as an ironsmith. One of four children, Massys was born to Joost Matsys (d. 1483) and Catherine van Kincken sometime between 4 April and 10 September 1466. Legend states that Matsys abandoned his career as a blacksmith to woo his wife, who found painting to be a more romantic profession, though Karel van Mander claimed this to be false, and the real reason was a sickness during which he was too weak to work at the smithy and instead decorated prints for the carnival celebrations.[3]

Head of an Old Man

Documented donations and possessions of Joost Matsys indicate that the family had a respectable income and that financial need was most likely not the reason Matsys turned to painting. During the period in which Matsys was active in Antwerp he took only four apprentices: a certain Ariaen whom certain art historians believe to be Adriaen van Overbeke (master in 1508),[2] Willem Muelenbroec (registered in 1501), Eduart Portugalois (registered in 1504, master in 1506), and Hennen Boeckmakere (registered in 1510). It is widely believed that Joachim Patinir studied with Matsys at some point during his career and contributed to several of his landscapes (such as The Temptation of St. Anthony at the Prado Museum in Madrid).[4] Lack of guild records during this time leaves Matsys' travels to Italy and other parts of the Low Countries as part of his training open to question. For the most part, foreign influences on Matsys are inferred from his paintings and are considered to be a large portion of the artist's training during the 16th century.

Work in Leuven

Detail of a c. 1500 Calendar Clock Face which shows the artist with his 'brothers' Joost the clockmaker and Jan

During the greater part of the 15th century, the centres in which the painters of the

Carel van Mander's Schilderboeck (1604) stating that Matsys studied under no artist.[6]

Style

Although the roots of Matsys' training are unknown, his style reflects the artistic qualities of

guild of painters at Antwerp. His most well known satirical works include A Portrait of an Elderly Man (1513), and The Money Changer and His Wife
(1514), all of which provide commentary on human feeling and society in general. He also painted religious altarpieces and triptych panels, the most famous of which was built for the Church of Saint Peter in Leuven.

The Money Changer and His Wife (1514)
Oil on panel, 71 × 68 cm
Louvre Abu Dhabi

Matsys work is considered to contain strong religious feeling—characteristic of traditional Flemish works—and is accompanied by a realism that often favored the grotesque. Matsys' firmness of outline, clear modelling and thorough finish of detail stem from Van Der Weyden's influence; from the Van Eycks and Memling by way of Dirck Bouts, the glowing richness of transparent pigments. Matsys' works generally reflect earnestness in expression, minutely detailed renderings, and subdued effects in light and shade. Like most Flemish artists of the time he paid a great deal of attention to jewelry, edging of garments, and ornamentation in general.[5]

The Virgin and Child Enthroned, with Four Angels (1513)
Oil on panel, 62.2 × 43.2 cm
National Gallery, London

Most of the emphasis in his works lies not upon atmosphere, which is in fact given very little attention, but to the literalness of caricature: emphasizing the melancholy refinement of saints, the brutal gestures and grimaces of gaolers and executioners. Strenuous effort is devoted to the expression of individual character. A satirical tendency may be seen in the pictures of merchant bankers (Louvre and Windsor), revealing their greed and avarice. His other impulse, dwelling on the feelings of tenderness, may be noted in two replicas of the Virgin and Child at Berlin and Amsterdam, where the ecstatic kiss of the mother seems rather awkward. An expression of acute despair may be seen in a Lucretia in the museum at Vienna. The remarkable glow of the colour in these works, however, makes the Mannerist exaggerations palatable.[5]

Matsys had considerable skill as a portrait painter. His Ægidius (Peter Gilles) which drew from

Jan Mabuse.[5]
Matsys' portraiture exhibits highly personal and individual emotional characteristics that reflect his adherence to realism as a technique.

Influences

Temptation of St. Anthony, Joachim Patinir and Quentin Matsys, 1520-1524. Prado Museum, Madrid.

In comparison to other Northern Renaissance artists such as Holbein and Dürer Matsys shies away from refined and subtle detailing. Because there are numerous connections between him and these masters, however, it can be concluded that his departure in techniques was deliberate and not an act of ignorance. He most likely met Holbein more than once on his way to England, and Dürer is believed to have visited his house at Antwerp in 1520.[5] Matsys also became the guardian of Joachim Patinir's children after the death of that painter.

His Virgin and Christ,

The Virgin and Child with St. Anne, reflects da Vinci's influences).[7]
This is largely regarded as proof that Matsys was greatly influenced by Italian Renaissance artists and that he most likely travelled to Italy for at least a brief period.

Death

Cornelius van der Geest
is said to be responsible for the wording, stating: "in his time a smith and afterwards a famous painter", keeping in accordance with the legends surrounding Matsys' humble beginnings.

Legacy

Matsys' works include A Portrait of an Elderly Man (1513), Christ presented to the People (1518-1520)[8] (Prado), and A Grotesque Old Woman (or The Ugly Duchess), which is perhaps the best-known of his works. It served as a basis for John Tenniel's depiction of the Duchess in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. It is likely a depiction of a real person with Paget's disease,[9] though it is sometimes said to be a metaphorical portrait of the Margaret, Countess of Tyrol

, who was known as Maultasch, which, though literally translated "satchel mouth", was used to mean "ugly woman" or "whore" (because of her marital scandals). His two large triptych altarpieces The Holy Kinship or Saint Anne Altarpiece (1507–1509) and The Entombment of the Lord (1508–1511) are also highly celebrated. Commissioned for the Church of Saint Peter in Leuven, they reflect strong religious feeling and precise detailing characteristic to the majority of his works.

Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga) and "Flight into Egypt" (Worcester Art Museum). Since the convent was founded by D. Leonor, Queen Dowager of King John II of Portugal and sister of King Manuel of Portugal, in 1509, it appeared that the order of this set has been performed once, with some authors (Firedlander) pointing as the date of making the frames years prior to 1511.[10] His Christ as the Man of Sorrows is in the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles.[11]

Quentin's son,

Elizabeth I of England
.

Near the front of the Cathedral of Our Lady in Antwerp is a wrought-iron well, known as the "Matsys Well", which according to tradition was made by the painter-to-be.

Matsys was a cult figure during the 17th century in Antwerp[clarification needed] in addition to being one of the founders of the local school of painting (which climaxed with the career of Peter Paul Rubens).

A penny serial by the British author Pierce Egan the Younger entitled Quintin Matsys was published in 1839.

Altarpiece of the carpenters guild, Quinten Massijs, (1511), Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp, 245-248
Altarpiece of the carpenters guild, Quinten Massijs, (1511), Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp, 245-248

See also

References

  1. ^ His first name is also recorded as Quinten or Kwinten, and his last name is also recorded as Massys or Metsys
  2. ^ a b Nanny Schrijvers, Quinten Massijs Archived 2019-08-27 at the Wayback Machine at Flemish Primitives
  3. Schilderboeck
    .
  4. ^ "The Temptations of Saint Anthony - The Collection - Museo Nacional del Prado". www.museodelprado.es. Retrieved 25 December 2020.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Matsys, Quintin" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 17 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 890–891.
  6. ^ Silver, Larry. "The Paintings of Quinten Massys with Catalogue Raisonne". Rowman & Allanheld, 1984, p. 1-15.
  7. .
  8. ^ "Christ presented to the People - The Collection - Museo Nacional del Prado". www.museodelprado.es. Retrieved 25 December 2020.
  9. ^ Brown, Mark (2008-10-11). "Solved: mystery of The Ugly Duchess – and the Da Vinci connection". The Guardian. London.
  10. ^ http://www.matriznet.imc-ip.pt/MatrizNet/Objectos/ObjectosConsultar.aspx?IdReg=250991&EntSep=3&Lang=EN#gotoPosition[permanent dead link]
  11. ^ "Acquisitions of the month: November 2018". Apollo Magazine.

Sources

External links