Artwork
Portrait of Gerbrich Claesdr
Portrait of Gerbrich Claesdr is an oil painting by the Northern Renaissance artist Jacob Cornelisz. van Oostsanen. It dates from 1515 and is held in the collection of the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The subject’s identity is underscored by the inscription of her name in the museum’s documentation, which aligns with the portrait’s title and provenance.
The portrait depicts Gerbrich Claesdr, a woman identified by name and period in both the painting’s documentation and a contemporaneous record from the Royal Museum of Fine Arts, Antwerp, where the work is held.
The subject’s identity is underscored by the inscription of her name in the museum’s documentation, which aligns with the portrait’s title and provenance. The figure is shown in a frontal, three-quarter view typical of Northern European portraiture of the early sixteenth century, emphasizing her social presence rather than narrative or allegorical content.
In this context, the work functions as a personal memorial, capturing the likeness and status of an individual within the conventions of the period’s portrait genre.
Technique & Style
Created in 1515, the Portrait of Gerbrich Claesdr is executed in oil paint on a panel support. The work measures 107 cm in height and 29 cm in width, reflecting the elongated format typical of the period's portraiture. As a painting by Jacob Cornelisz. van Oostsanen, the piece depicts the sitter alongside the figure of Mary Magdalene. The medium and support combination indicates a durable construction consistent with early 16th-century Northern Renaissance practices.
History & Provenance
The Portrait of Gerbrich Claesdr was painted by Jacob Cornelisz. van Oostsanen in 1515, executed in oil paint on panel. The work is held in the collection of the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp, where it is currently located.
The sources do not provide further details about the commission, intermediate owners, or the chain of custody prior to the painting's acquisition by the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp.
The Portrait of Gerbrich Claesdr is held in the collection of the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp. While the specific inventory or accession number is not provided in the available records, the work is cataloged as an oil painting on panel created by Jacob Cornelisz. van Oostsanen in 1515. The museum lists the piece in its location records, identifying the main subject as Gerbrich Claesdr alongside a depiction of Mary Magdalene. No specific exhibition history or past display dates are documented in the provided sources.
Context
Jacob Cornelisz. van Oostsanen painted Portrait of Gerbrich Claesdr in 1515, a work now held by the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp. The painting shows Gerbrich Claesdr alongside Mary Magdalene and is recognized as a notable example of early Netherlandish portraiture. Scholars examine its composition and symbolism to understand the evolution of portrait conventions in the early 16th century.
Its inclusion in a major museum collection highlights its significance within the broader narrative of Northern Renaissance art.
Overview
Portrait of Gerbrich Claesdr is a 1515 oil-on-panel painting by Jacob Cornelisz. van Oostsanen, a prominent Northern Netherlandish artist of the early 16th century. The work combines portraiture with devotional elements, characteristic of the Northern Renaissance.
Artist & collection
Artist
Jacob Cornelisz. van Oostsanen
Jacob Cornelisz van Oostsanen (before 1470 – 1533) was a Northern Netherlandish designer of woodcuts and painter.
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