Josse Lieferinxe
Encyclopedia
Josse Lieferinxe was a South Netherlandish painter
, formerly known by the pseudonym the Master of St. Sebastian.
Originating in the diocese of Cambrai
in Hainaut
, then part of the territories ruled by the Dukes of Burgundy, Josse Lieferinxe was documented as a "Picard
" in the regions of Avignon
and Marseille
at the end of the fifteenth and in the early sixteenth centuries. He was first mentioned in Provence
in 1493. Thus he figures among the painters of the Provençal school, whose most prominent members in an earlier generation had also been from the far north of the French-speaking world — Barthélemy d'Eyck
and Enguerrand Quarton
. In 1503 he married Michelle, a daughter of Jean Changenet, the most prominent painter of Avignon, in whose atelier Lieferinxe may have matured his style. He was last mentioned living in 1505, and in 1508 as deceased.
Before he was identified by Charles Sterling
who linked his work with a document, his artistic personality was recognized, as the "Master of St. Sebastian", through a former retable
of eight scenes depicting the acts and miracles of Saint Sebastian and Saint Roch, protectors against the plague
, which was commissioned in 1497 for the church of Nôtre Dame des Accoulés in Marseille. Bernardino Sismondi, who originally received the commission, died, however, before he could finish the work. By the early twentieth century the panels had become widely dispersed in museums (see below). Panels from a Life of the Virgin
were also identified with the anonymous Sebastian master: two panels painted on both sides in the Musée Calvet, Avignon, and another, a Marriage of the Virgin
in the Musées Royaux, Brussels; a fragmentary third panel, also painted on both sides, is in the Musée du Louvre.
County of Hainaut
The County of Hainaut was a historical region in the Low Countries with its capital at Mons . In English sources it is often given the archaic spelling Hainault....
, formerly known by the pseudonym the Master of St. Sebastian.
Originating in the diocese of Cambrai
Cambrai
Cambrai is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.Cambrai is the seat of an archdiocese whose jurisdiction was immense during the Middle Ages. The territory of the Bishopric of Cambrai, roughly coinciding with the shire of Brabant, included...
in Hainaut
County of Hainaut
The County of Hainaut was a historical region in the Low Countries with its capital at Mons . In English sources it is often given the archaic spelling Hainault....
, then part of the territories ruled by the Dukes of Burgundy, Josse Lieferinxe was documented as a "Picard
Picardy
This article is about the historical French province. For other uses, see Picardy .Picardy is a historical province of France, in the north of France...
" in the regions of Avignon
Avignon
Avignon is a French commune in southeastern France in the départment of the Vaucluse bordered by the left bank of the Rhône river. Of the 94,787 inhabitants of the city on 1 January 2010, 12 000 live in the ancient town centre surrounded by its medieval ramparts.Often referred to as the...
and Marseille
Marseille
Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
at the end of the fifteenth and in the early sixteenth centuries. He was first mentioned in Provence
Provence
Provence ; Provençal: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm) is a region of south eastern France on the Mediterranean adjacent to Italy. It is part of the administrative région of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur...
in 1493. Thus he figures among the painters of the Provençal school, whose most prominent members in an earlier generation had also been from the far north of the French-speaking world — Barthélemy d'Eyck
Barthélemy d'Eyck
Barthélemy d'Eyck, van Eyck or d' Eyck , was an Early Netherlandish artist who worked in France and probably in Burgundy as a painter and manuscript illuminator...
and Enguerrand Quarton
Enguerrand Quarton
Enguerrand Quarton was a French painter and manuscript illuminator whose few surviving works are among the first masterpieces of a distinctively French style, very different from either Italian or Early Netherlandish painting...
. In 1503 he married Michelle, a daughter of Jean Changenet, the most prominent painter of Avignon, in whose atelier Lieferinxe may have matured his style. He was last mentioned living in 1505, and in 1508 as deceased.
Before he was identified by Charles Sterling
Charles Sterling
Charles Sterling was a Polish art historian mainly active in France.Aged 19, he fought in the Polish–Soviet War in defence of newly-gained Polish independence and was decorated several times...
who linked his work with a document, his artistic personality was recognized, as the "Master of St. Sebastian", through a former retable
Retable
A retable is a framed altarpiece, raised slightly above the back of the altar or communion table, on which are placed the cross, ceremonial candlesticks and other ornaments....
of eight scenes depicting the acts and miracles of Saint Sebastian and Saint Roch, protectors against the plague
Black Death
The Black Death was one of the most devastating pandemics in human history, peaking in Europe between 1348 and 1350. Of several competing theories, the dominant explanation for the Black Death is the plague theory, which attributes the outbreak to the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Thought to have...
, which was commissioned in 1497 for the church of Nôtre Dame des Accoulés in Marseille. Bernardino Sismondi, who originally received the commission, died, however, before he could finish the work. By the early twentieth century the panels had become widely dispersed in museums (see below). Panels from a Life of the Virgin
Life of the Virgin
The Life of the Virgin, showing narrative scenes from the life of Mary, the mother of Jesus, is a common subject for pictorial cycles in Christian art, often complementing, or forming part of, a cycle on the Life of Christ. In both cases the number of scenes shown varies greatly with the space...
were also identified with the anonymous Sebastian master: two panels painted on both sides in the Musée Calvet, Avignon, and another, a Marriage of the Virgin
Marriage of the Virgin
The Marriage of the Virgin is the subject in Christian art depicting the marriage of the Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph. The marriage is not mentioned in the canonical Gospels but is covered in several apocryphal sources, and later redactions, notably the 14th century compilation the Golden Legend...
in the Musées Royaux, Brussels; a fragmentary third panel, also painted on both sides, is in the Musée du Louvre.
Selected works
A more complete list can be found in the database of the Centre for the Study of Fifteenth-Century Painting- Life and Miracles of Saint Sebastian, 1497.
- Saint Sebastian before Diocletian, 1497 (Hermitage MuseumHermitage MuseumThe State Hermitage is a museum of art and culture in Saint Petersburg, Russia. One of the largest and oldest museums of the world, it was founded in 1764 by Catherine the Great and has been opened to the public since 1852. Its collections, of which only a small part is on permanent display,...
). - Saint Sebastian Destroying Pagan Idols, 1497 (Philadelphia Museum of ArtPhiladelphia Museum of ArtThe Philadelphia Museum of Art is among the largest art museums in the United States. It is located at the west end of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia's Fairmount Park. The Museum was established in 1876 in conjunction with the Centennial Exposition of the same year...
). - Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian, 1497, and two other panels (Philadelphia Museum of ArtPhiladelphia Museum of ArtThe Philadelphia Museum of Art is among the largest art museums in the United States. It is located at the west end of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia's Fairmount Park. The Museum was established in 1876 in conjunction with the Centennial Exposition of the same year...
). (On-line illustrations). - Saint Sebastian intercedes for the Pest-stricken, 1497(Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore).
- Pilgrims at the Tomb of St Sebastian (Galleria Nazionale d'Arte AnticaGalleria Nazionale d'Arte AnticaThe Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica, or National Gallery of Ancient Art, is an art gallery in Rome, Italy, located on two sites: the Palazzo Barberini and the Palazzo Corsini....
, Rome.
- Saint Sebastian before Diocletian, 1497 (Hermitage Museum
- The Archangel Michael Killing the Dragon (Musée du Petit Palais, Avignon).
- Abraham Visited by Three Angels, dated 1500 (Kress Collection, Denver Art MuseumDenver Art MuseumThe Denver Art Museum is an art museum in Denver, Colorado located in Denver's Civic Center.It is known for its collection of American Indian art,and has a comprehensive collection numbering more than 68,000 works from across the world....
. - Calvary (Louvre) (illustration, above)
- Retable. Scattered wing panels and other elements. (Royal Museum of Fine Arts, Brussels; Musée du Louvre; Musée Calvet, Avignon).
- Ecce Homo (Biblioteca AmbrosianaBiblioteca AmbrosianaThe Biblioteca Ambrosiana is a historic library in Milan, Italy, also housing the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana, the Ambrosian art gallery. Named after Ambrose, the patron saint of Milan, it was founded by Cardinal Federico Borromeo , whose agents scoured Western Europe and even Greece and Syria for books...
). (Catalogue entry) - Pietà (Antwerp)
- Adoration of the Infant Jesus, on the reverse of the panel A Bishop Saint (Louvre)
- Visitation, on the reverse of the panel, Saint Lucy (Louvre)
Further reading
- Ring, Grete. "A Century of French Painting, 1400–1500". (London): Phaidon Press, 1949.