View source for Quentin Matsys

{{Short description|Flemish painter (1466–1530)}}
{{For|his grandson, the Elizabethan painter|Quentin Metsys the Younger}}
{{Infobox artist
| image = Jan Wierix 002.jpg
| caption = Quentin Matsys, engraved by [[Johannes Wierix]] with [[Dominicus Lampsonius]]' poem about how Matsys' girlfriend preferred the quiet paintbrush to the heavy noise of hammering
| birth_date = {{Birth year|1466}}
| birth_place = [[Leuven]], [[Duchy of Brabant]]
| death_date = {{Death year and age|1530|1466}}
| death_place = [[Antwerp]], Duchy of Brabant
| known_for        = Religious and satirical portraits
| notable_works    = ''[[The Ugly Duchess]]''
| movement         = Antwerp School
| other_names      = {{hlist|Quentin Massys|Quentin Metsys|Kwinten Matsys|Quinten Matsijs}}
}}

'''Quentin{{efn|Sometimes ''Quinten'' or ''Kwinten''.}} Matsys''' ({{IPAc-en|UK|'|m|ae|t|s|ai|s}} {{respell|MAT|sysse}}, {{IPAc-en|US|'|m|A:|t|s|ai|s}} {{respell|MAHT|sysse}}; also '''Massys''' or '''Metsys'''; {{langx|nl-BE|Quinten Matsijs}} {{IPA|nl-BE|ˈkʋɪntə ˈmɑtsɛis|}}; 1466–1530) was a Flemish painter in the [[Early Netherlandish]] tradition. He was born in [[Leuven]]. According to tradition, he 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 tradition.<ref name=prim>[http://vlaamseprimitieven.vlaamsekunstcollectie.be/en/biographies/quinten-massys Nanny Schrijvers, ''Quinten Massijs ''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190827013140/http://vlaamseprimitieven.vlaamsekunstcollectie.be/en/biographies/quinten-massys |date=2019-08-27 }} at Flemish Primitives</ref>

==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 was 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.<ref>[http://www.dbnl.org/tekst/mand001schi01_01/mand001schi01_01_0196.php Quintijn Messijs] in Karel van Mander's [[Schilderboeck]].</ref>
[[File:Quinten Metsys - Head of an Old Man - Google Art Project.jpg|thumb|left|''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),<ref name=prim/> 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).<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Temptations of Saint Anthony - The Collection - Museo Nacional del Prado|url=https://www.museodelprado.es/en/the-collection/art-work/the-temptations-of-saint-anthony/b93e9da4-8a77-44ae-ba29-1811cc546fd8|access-date=25 December 2020|website=www.museodelprado.es}}</ref> 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==

[[File:Joost Massys - Clock face Louvain (cropped).jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|Detail of a {{circa|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 [[Low Countries]] most congregated were [[Tournai]], [[Bruges]], [[Ghent]] and [[Brussels]]. Leuven gained prominence toward the close of this period, employing workmen from all of the crafts including Matsys. Not until the beginning of the 16th century did Antwerp take the lead which it afterward maintained against Bruges, Ghent, Brussels, [[Mechelen]] and Leuven.<ref name="EB1911">{{Cite EB1911 |wstitle=Matsys, Quintin |volume=17 |pages=890-891}}</ref> Because no guild records were kept prior to 1494 in Leuven there is no concrete proof that Matsys attained his master's status there; however, historians generally accept this to be the location of his early training because he had not been previously registered in Antwerp as an apprentice. As a member of Antwerp's [[Guild of Saint Luke]], Matsys is considered to be one of its first notable artists. Existing records of guild laws and regulations from the 16th century indicate that it is highly unlikely that Matsys was self-taught, despite accounts in [[Carel van Mander]]'s ''Schilderboeck'' (1604) stating that Matsys studied under no artist.<ref>Silver, Larry. "The Paintings of Quinten Massys with Catalogue Raisonne". Rowman & Allanheld, 1984, p. 1-15.</ref>

==Style==
Although the roots of Matsys' training are unknown, his style reflects the artistic qualities of [[Dirk Bouts]], who brought to Leuven the influence of [[Hans Memling]] and [[Rogier van der Weyden|Rogier Van der Weyden]]. When Matsys settled at Antwerp at the age of twenty-five, his own style contributed importantly to reviving Flemish art along the lines of [[Van Eyck]] and Van der Weyden.<ref name="EB1911"/> Matsys departed from Leuven in 1491 when he became a master in the [[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.
[[File:Le prêteur et sa femme - Quentin Metsys - Musée du Louvre Peintures INV 1444 ; MR 821.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|''[[The Money Changer and His Wife]]'' (1514)<br> Oil on panel, 71 × 68 cm<br>[[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.<ref name="EB1911"/>
[[Image:Quinten Massys - The Virgin and Child Enthroned, with Four Angels - Google Art Project.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|left|''The Virgin and Child Enthroned, with Four Angels'' (1513)<br> Oil on panel, 62.2 × 43.2 cm<br>[[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 Castle|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 [[Mannerism|Mannerist]] exaggerations palatable.<ref name="EB1911"/>

Matsys had considerable skill as a portrait painter. His ''Ægidius (Peter Gilles)'' which drew from [[Thomas More]] a eulogy in [[Latin]] verse, is but one of many, to which one may add the portrait of [[Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor|Maximilian of Austria]] in the gallery in Amsterdam. In this branch of his practice, Matsys was greatly influenced by his fellow countryman [[Jan Mabuse]].<ref name="EB1911"/> Matsys' portraiture exhibits highly personal and individual emotional characteristics that reflect his adherence to realism as a technique.

==Influences==
[[File:Joachim Patinier, Tentation de saint Antoine, musée du Prado, Madrid, inv. P 1615.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6|''Temptation of St. Anthony'', Joachim Patinir and Quentin Matsys, 1520–1524. [[Museo del Prado|Prado Museum]], [[Madrid]]]]In comparison to other Northern Renaissance artists such as [[Hans Holbein the Younger|Holbein]] and [[Albrecht Dürer|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.<ref name="EB1911"/>  Matsys also became the guardian of [[Joachim Patinir]]'s children after the death of that painter.

His ''Virgin and Christ'', ''[[Ecce Homo]]'' and ''[[Mater Dolorosa]]'' (London and Antwerp) are known for their serene and dignified mastery, gaining in delicacy and nuance in the works of his maturity. It is believed that he had known the work of [[Leonardo da Vinci]] in the form of prints made and circulated among northern artists (his ''Madonna and Child with the Lamb'', inspired by ''[[The Virgin and Child with St. Anne (Leonardo da Vinci)|The Virgin and Child with St. Anne]]'', reflects da Vinci's influences).<ref>{{in lang|en}} {{cite book |author=Lawrence Gowing |title=A History of art|year=1983 |page=[https://archive.org/details/historyofart02gowi/page/672 672]|publisher=Prentice-Hall|isbn=0-13-276527-6 |url=https://archive.org/details/historyofart02gowi|url-access=registration }}</ref> 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==
[[File:Anberesko katedrala (cropped - Skull plaque for Quentin Metsys).JPG|thumb|upright=1.1|left|Memorial on [[Antwerp Cathedral]]. The artist [[Luc Tuymans]] created a modern mosaic at the [[Museum aan de Stroom]] based on this skull plaque.]]Matsys died at Antwerp in 1530. He was a religious devotee, despite several of his relatives dying as a result of their faith. His sister Catherine and her husband suffered at Leuven in 1543 for what was then the capital offence of reading the [[Bible]]: he being decapitated, she allegedly buried alive in the square before the church.  In 1629 the first centennial of Matsys' death was marked by a ceremony and erection of a relief plaque with an accompanying inscription on the facade of [[Antwerp Cathedral]]. Benefactor [[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==
[[File:Quentin Matsys - A Grotesque old woman.jpg|thumb|''[[The Ugly Duchess|A Grotesque Old Woman]]''<br>Oil on wood, 64 × 45,5 cm<br>[[National Gallery, London|National Gallery]], London]]Matsys' works include ''A Portrait of an Elderly Man'' (1513), ''Christ presented to the People'' (1518–1520)<ref>{{Cite web|title=Christ presented to the People - The Collection - Museo Nacional del Prado|url=https://www.museodelprado.es/en/the-collection/art-work/christ-presented-to-the-people/327bed20-74b8-4d08-9bb9-f173ca023ee9|access-date=25 December 2020|website=www.museodelprado.es}}</ref> (Prado), and ''[[The Ugly Duchess|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 of bone|Paget's disease]],<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2008/oct/11/art-painting | location=London | work=The Guardian | title=Solved: mystery of The Ugly Duchess – and the Da Vinci connection | first=Mark | last=Brown | date=2008-10-11}}</ref> 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.

[[File:1520 Portrait of a woman (Q. Massys).jpg|thumb|left|''Portrait of a woman'', 1520]]Matsys also painted part of the altarpiece of the [[Igreja da Madre de Deus (São João)|Convento da Madre de Deus]], in [[Lisbon]]. The altar is a primitive invocation of the ''Seven Sorrows of Mary'', with boards still evocative of ''"Our Lady of Sorrows"'',''"Jesus among the Doctors"'', ''"on the path to Calvary"'', ''"Calvary"'', ''"Lamentation"'' (all at the [[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.<ref>http://www.matriznet.imc-ip.pt/MatrizNet/Objectos/ObjectosConsultar.aspx?IdReg=250991&EntSep=3&Lang=EN#gotoPosition{{dead link|date=July 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> His ''Christ as the Man of Sorrows'' is in the [[J. Paul Getty Museum]] in Los Angeles.<ref>{{cite web |title=Acquisitions of the month: November 2018 |url=https://www.apollo-magazine.com/acquisitions-of-the-month-november-2018/ |website=Apollo Magazine}}</ref>

Quentin's son, [[Jan Matsys]], inherited the art but did not seek to expand upon his father's legacy. The earliest of his works, a ''St Jerome'' dated 1537, in the gallery of Vienna, as well as the latest, a ''Healing of Tobias'' of 1564, in the museum of Antwerp, are evidence of his tendency to substitute imitation for originality.<ref name="EB1911"/> Another son, [[Cornelis Matsys]], was also a painter. Jan's son, [[Quentin Metsys the Younger]], was an [[artist of the Tudor court]], and painted the ''Sieve Portrait'' of [[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 {{clarify|date=January 2019}} 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.
{{Clear}}

[[File:Altaarstuk van het schrijnwerkerambacht, Quinten Massijs, (1511), Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten Antwerpen, 245-248.jpg|700px|center|Altarpiece of the carpenters guild, Quinten Massijs, (1511), [[Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp]], 245-248]]
{{center|''[[Joiners' Guild Altarpiece]]'', c. 1511}}

== See also ==
* ''[[Ill-Matched Marriage]]''

==Notes==
{{Notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Sources==
*{{cite CE1913|wstitle=Quentin Massys}}
*{{Wikisource-inline|Century Magazine/Volume 48/Issue 4/Old Dutch Masters. Quinten Massys|"Quinten Massys". ''Century Magazine''}}
*{{Wikisource-inline|Art in the Netherlands/Chapter IV|''Art in the Netherlands'' "Chapter IV"}}

==External links==
*{{Commons-inline}}

{{Quentin Matsys}}
{{Early Netherlandish painting}}
{{Authority control (arts)}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Matsys, Quentin}}
[[Category:1466 births]]
[[Category:1530 deaths]]
[[Category:Painters from Leuven]]
[[Category:16th-century Flemish painters]]
[[Category:Early Netherlandish painters]]
[[Category:Painters from Antwerp]]
[[Category:Pupils and followers of Leonardo da Vinci]]
[[Category:Satirical painters]]
[[Category:15th-century Flemish painters]]