Quentin Matsys
Quentin Matsys | |
---|---|
Born | 1466 Leuven, Belgium |
Died | 1530 (aged 63–64) Antwerp, Belgium |
Nationality | Flemish |
Known for | Religious and satirical portraits |
Notable work | The Ugly Duchess |
Movement | Antwerp School |
Quentin Matsys
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]
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
During the greater part of the 15th century, the centres in which the painters of the
Style
Although the roots of Matsys' training are unknown, his style reflects the artistic qualities of
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]
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
Influences
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,
Death
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
Quentin's son,
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.
See also
References
- ^ His first name is also recorded as Quinten or Kwinten, and his last name is also recorded as Massys or Metsys
- ^ a b Nanny Schrijvers, Quinten Massijs Archived 2019-08-27 at the Wayback Machine at Flemish Primitives
- Schilderboeck.
- ^ "The Temptations of Saint Anthony - The Collection - Museo Nacional del Prado". www.museodelprado.es. Retrieved 25 December 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f g Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 17 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 890–891.
- ^ Silver, Larry. "The Paintings of Quinten Massys with Catalogue Raisonne". Rowman & Allanheld, 1984, p. 1-15.
- ISBN 0-13-276527-6.
- ^ "Christ presented to the People - The Collection - Museo Nacional del Prado". www.museodelprado.es. Retrieved 25 December 2020.
- ^ Brown, Mark (2008-10-11). "Solved: mystery of The Ugly Duchess – and the Da Vinci connection". The Guardian. London.
- ^ http://www.matriznet.imc-ip.pt/MatrizNet/Objectos/ObjectosConsultar.aspx?IdReg=250991&EntSep=3&Lang=EN#gotoPosition[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Acquisitions of the month: November 2018". Apollo Magazine.
Sources
- Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. .
- Works related to "Quinten Massys". Century Magazine at Wikisource
- Works related to Art in the Netherlands "Chapter IV" at Wikisource
External links
- Media related to Quinten Massijs (I) at Wikimedia Commons