Who painted Passion Play on the Grote Markt in Antwerp?

Passion Play on the Grote Markt in Antwerp was painted by Gillis Mostaert in 1588.

Where can I see Passion Play on the Grote Markt in Antwerp?

Passion Play on the Grote Markt in Antwerp is held by Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp.

What movement is Passion Play on the Grote Markt in Antwerp?

Passion Play on the Grote Markt in Antwerp is associated with Northern Renaissance.

Artwork

Passion Play on the Grote Markt in Antwerp

Gillis Mostaert , 1588

Passion Play on the Grote Markt in Antwerp is an oil painting by the Northern Renaissance artist Gillis Mostaert. It dates from 1588 and is held in the collection of the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp.

About this work

Technique & Style

The composition notably includes equine figures alongside the architectural elements of the square.

Created in 1576, this cityscape by Gillis Mostaert is executed in oil paint on a panel support. The work measures 176 cm in height and 117 cm in width. Stylistically, the painting functions as a detailed depiction of the Grote Markt in Antwerp, specifically capturing a Passion Play event within the urban setting.

The composition notably includes equine figures alongside the architectural elements of the square. The piece is currently held in the collection of the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp.

History & Provenance

The painting Passion Play on the Grote Markt in Antwerp was created in 1576 by Gillis Mostaert as an oil work on panel depicting a cityscape. It entered the collection of the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp, where it remains part of the Vlaamse Kunstcollectie. The work was likely commissioned to document a local religious performance on the Antwerp market square, reflecting the civic and devotional context of the late sixteenth century. Its dimensions are 176 cm in height and 117 cm in width.

The painting's provenance is tied directly to the museum's acquisition, with no recorded earlier private owners before its donation to the institution.

The painting is held by the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp, where it forms part of the holdings of the Vlaamse Kunstcollectie. According to the cataloguing data, the work is an oil-on-panel cityscape measuring 176 cm in height and 117 cm in width, depicting the Grote Markt.

No accession number or specific inventory reference is recorded in the available sources, and no exhibition history is documented.

Overview

Passion Play on the Grote Markt in Antwerp is a 1588 oil painting by Gillis Mostaert the Elder, a Flemish Renaissance artist. The work is a cityscape depicting a chaotic scene in Antwerp's Grote Markt.

Subject & Meaning

The painting shows a crowded street scene with figures in 16th-century attire, including half-naked individuals being dragged, amidst a dramatic event. A horse and dog are also present, set against a backdrop of a large stone building.

Artist & collection

Artist

Gillis Mostaert

Gillis Mostaert the Elder (27 or 28 November 1528 – 28 December 1598) was a Flemish Renaissance painter and draughtsman active in Antwerp in the second half of the 16th century.