#Marcus Gheeraerts the Elder

[history-of-fashion]

1586 Marcus Gheeraerts the Elder - Sir Henry Palmer, Knight

(Memorial Art Gallery of the University of Rochester)

[arthistoryanimalia]

For #WorldBeeDay 🐝 + #BearAwarenessWeek🐻 :

Marcus Gheeraerts the Elder (Flemish, c.1520-c.1590) Fable of the Bear and the Bees Bruges, 1567 print, etched & hand-colored, H 95 mm × W 112 mm Rijksmuseum RP-P-1996-70

[worldhistoryfacts]

A map of Bruges, Belgium, by Marcus Gheeraerts the Elder, 1562. It is one of the earliest maps done with perspective. Gheeraerts included lots of little details of everyday life in his map, including these cows and fishermen.

{WHF} {Ko-Fi} {Medium}

[daughterofchaos]

Christ in Limbo, from Passion of Christ

ca. 1575/1600

Jan Sadeler, the Elder (Flanders), after Marcus Gheeraerts, the Elder

via Art Institute of Chicago

[beautiful-belgium]

Marcus Gheeraerts the Elder - Chameleon illustration from page 72 of De vvarachtighe fabvlen der dieren, 1567, by Eduard de Dene (1505-1578). Typ 530.67.124, Houghton Library, Harvard University

[nancydrewwouldnever]

Attributed to Marcus Gheeraerts the Elder, Elizabeth I - the Rainbow Portrait, c. 1600, oil/canvas (Hatfield House, Hertfordshire, England)

[maudeboggins]

Jacob Van Doort (Flemish, active 1606-1629). Princess Elizabeth of Brunswick-Wolfenbuttel (1593-1650), later Duchess of Saxe-Altenberg, 1609. Oil on canvas

Fig. 6 - John de Critz the Elder (Flemish, 1551-1642). Anne of Denmark, ca. 1605-1610. Oil on canvas

Frans Pourbus the Younger (Netherlandish, 1569-1622). Margherita Gonzaga, Princess of Mantua, 1606. Oil on canvas

Fig. 1 - Robert Peake (English, 1551-1619). Ann Vavasour, ca. 1600. 55.5 x 51. Guildford: National Trust, Hatchlands, 1166065_CC279. on loan

Fig. 2 - Robert Peake the Elder (English, 1551-1619). Catherine Carey, Countess of Nottingham, 1597

Marcus Gheeraerts the younger (Flemish, 1561-1636). Dorothy, Lady Dormer

[weirdrenaissance]

Christ in Limbo, from Passion of Christ, by Jan Sadeler the Elder after Marcus Gheeraerts the Elder, ca. 1575-1600

[aquitainequeen]

Also they're (supposedly) immune to the deadly gaze of a basilisk/cockatrice, and the scent of their urine is (again supposedly) one of the few things that can kill such creatures.

'I was angry before, but now I'm really pissed off!!!'

'Yeah, well, you're about to be pissed on.'

(Image is The basilisk and the weasel, by Marcus Gheeraerts the Elder. Note that the weasel's about to kick ass, they've got their flower!!!)

modern medieval fantasies don't have enough weasel-based necromancy

[granstromjulius]

Marcus Gheeraerts the Elder

[just-art5]

Let’s take a closer look...

Today we are looking at Marcus Gheeraerts the Elder’s masterpiece ‘The Lamentation of Christ’, created between 1561 and 1595. Click on the link for a higher resolution image so you can admire this artwork closely. 

This is an incredibly emotionally charged composition, with all the figures looking at Christ, with one even kneeling and kissing his feet. It is of course a subject matter that has been depicted in religious art countless times before, but what captures my attention in this particular work is the bold use of colour and the attribution of almost translucent qualities on the skin of the figures, especially that of Christ and the lady clothed in a dress made of a brightly coloured yellow material. 

Not only this, but the dead body of Christ is ascribed a certain lyricism and nobility, in the way that is portrayed, with the crown of thorns tossed next to his left arm, with his injuries visible. Notice how the artist uses shade and light to emphasise muscles and flesh. 

The artıst’s commitment to the naturalistic depiction of everyday life is demonstrated by the tears on the faces of Christ’s supporters, as seen below: 

This is further supported by the skillful depiction of intricate patterns on the various fabrics brought together for this work. 

Just take a look at how meticulously the artist has painted the detail on the sword and the dress of the kneeling figure. I am personally in awe of how carefully and successfully he has juxtaposed different fabrics, which, the more I look at, the more I know exactly how they would feel to touch in real life. 

 It is worth noting that artists of that time operated as any other profession, with commissions requests driving their daily operations. That means that the artist’s patrons would have the last say regarding what the artwork depicted, giving the artist themselves very little freedom to express their personal views or paint their prefered subject matters. However, the artist here was able to introduce and showcase his interest in patterns, texture and colour and affinity towards depicting naturalistic human qualities. 

There’s so much more to be said about this work but I wanted to point out a few things that immediately caught my attention. 

What do you think of this extraordinary work? I would love to hear your thoughts. 

Your friendly neighbourhood art historian, 

Jo xx

[history-of-fashion]

ab. 1550 Attributed to Antonis Mor or Marcus Gheeraerts the Elder - Anna van Egmond

(Royal Collections of the Netherlands)

[good-queen-bess]

The Peace Portrait by Marcus Gheeraerts the Elder, painted c. 1580-1585. It depicts Queen Elizabeth I at Wanstead. Representing Pax, Roman goddess of peace (as Latin for peace is ‘pax’), Elizabeth holds an olive branch and before her feet lies the sword of justice. In the background you can see the Earl of Leicester (Robert Dudley) speaking with two ladies, supposedly his wife, Lettice, and his daughter. One theory as to what the little dog at Elizabeth’s feet represents is that the dog is a reference to how Elizabeth once cruelly described her relationship with Robert – “You are like my little dog. As soon as he is seen anywhere, people know that I am coming, and when you are seen, they say I am not far off.“

[sartorialadventure]

Princess Elizabeth Stuart of England, Queen of Bohemia, 1596-1662

1. 1603 (age 7) 2. By Nicholas Hilliard, ca 1605-1610 (age 9-14) 3. Ca. 1606 (age 10) 4. Ca. 1610 (age 14) 5. Exact identity of sitter unknown, but possibly Elizabeth Stuart. By Marcus Gheeraerts, 1612 (age 16) 6. In mourning for her elder brother, the Prince of Wales. From the studio of Michiel Jansz. van Miereveldt, ca. 1613 (age 17). The year of her marriage. 7. 1613, age 17, the year of her marriage 8. From the Atelier de Mierevelt, ca. 1630 (age 34) 9. From the studio of Gerrit van Honthorst, 1631 or later (age 35+) 10. By Gerrit Honthorst, 1650 (age 54)

[beautiful-belgium]

Marcus Gheeraerts I - The Fox and the Stork (based on the fable by Aesop), Illustration from the De warachtighe fabulen der dieren by Edewaerd de Dene, published by Pieter de Clerck in Bruges, 1567. The same story was represented in Bruegel’s Netherlandish Proverbs in 1569.

[the-historihen]

it's a tits out kind of look

1) Anne of Denmark, ca. 1605-1610. John de Critz the Elder. National Portrait Gallery.

2) Lady Francis Fairfax, ca.1605–1615. Marcus Gheeraerts the younger. York Art Gallery.

3) Portrait of an Unknown Woman (once said to be Joyce Clopton), ca.1610. Marcus Gheeraerts the younger.

4) Anne of Denmark, ca. 1611-14. Marcus Gheeraerts the Younger.

5) Portrait of a Lady, ca. 1618. Marcus Gheeraerts the younger. Ferens Art Gallery.

6) Elizabeth Poulett, ca. 1616. Follower of Robert Peake. Denver Art Museum.

7) María de' Medici, Queen of France, ca. 1607. Frans Pourbus the Younger. Guggenheim Museum Bilbao.

8) Gertrude Sadler, Lady Aston, ca. 1620-23. Unknown Artist. The Tate.