About the Artist

Jan Gossaert (c. 1478 or 1488 Maubeuge-c. 1534 Breda?\0 called Mabuse, was one of the first Dutch romantists and established important standards for painting in that region in the 17th century. Before 1503 he was active in Bruges; he then moved on to Antwerp. He served several noble patrons and in 1508 travelled to Italy as a companion to Philip of Burgundy, where he was able to study antique architecture and sculpture. After his return to the Netherlands, however, he continued to work primarily in the painting tradition of his homeland. Not until 1515 and later did significant new influence appear in his work. Besides small Madona pictures, Gossaert also painted portraits and mytholigical themes. the artist's works include Neptune and Amphitrite, 1516, Gemaldegalerie, SMPK, Berlin; Hermaphrodite and Samalcis, c. 1516, Museum boijmans van Beuningen, rotterdam; and Henry III of Nassau, Cloccion conde de Renilla Gigedo, Madrid.