# Lucas van Leyden

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Dutch painter (1494–1534)

Lucas van Leyden Self portrait of Lucas van Leyden (1525–26) Born May 1494 Died 1533, May 1533 (aged 38–39) Occupation Painter, visual artist

**Lucas van Leyden** (1494 – 8 August 1533),[a] was a Dutch painter and [printmaker](/source/Printmaker) in [engraving](/source/Engraving) and [woodcut](/source/Woodcut). Lucas van Leyden was among the first Dutch exponents of [genre painting](/source/Genre_painting) and was a very accomplished engraver.[1]

## Biography

Lucas was the son of the painter Huygh Jacobsz. He was born, died, and was mainly active in [Leiden](/source/Leiden).

[Karel van Mander](/source/Karel_van_Mander) characterises Lucas as a tireless artist, who as a child annoyed his mother by working long hours after nightfall, which she forbade not only for the cost of candlelight, but also because she felt that too much study was bad for his sensibilities. According to Van Mander, as a boy he only consorted with other young artists, such as painters, glass-etchers and goldsmiths, and was paid by the *Heer van Lochorst* (Johan van Lockhorst of Leiden, who died in 1510) a golden florin for each of his years at age 12 for a watercolour of [St. Hubert](/source/Hubertus).[2]

### Family

In 1515, Lucas married Elisabeth van Boschhuysen, from a patrician Leiden family. The marriage remained childless. Lucas did have a daughter Marijtje, born in Leiden out of wedlock around 1512. This daughter Marijtje would later marry the painter Dammas Claesz de Hoij. In their offspring, the De Hoij family, one can find prominent artists throughout the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.

## Paintings

*[Potiphars](/source/Potiphar) Wife Displays Joseph's Garment*

He learned basic techniques from his father[b] and from [Cornelis Engelbrechtsz](/source/Cornelis_Engelbrechtsz), but his precocious originality was paramount. Where he learnt engraving is unknown, but he took advantage of the works of [Marcantonio Raimondi](/source/Marcantonio_Raimondi), whose motifs are reworked in Lucas' engravings and paintings, and became highly skilled in that art at a very early age: the earliest known print by him (*Mohammed and the Murdered Monk*) dates from 1508, when he was perhaps only 14, yet reveals no trace of immaturity in inspiration or technique.

Seventeen paintings surely by Lucas survive, and a further twenty-seven are known from descriptions by [Karel van Mander](/source/Karel_van_Mander), from contemporary copies or from drawings of them made by Jan de Bisschop in the later 17th century.[1] [Max Friedländer](/source/Max_Jakob_Friedl%C3%A4nder) described no clear pattern of stylistic development, in large part because Lucas' oeuvre was swelled and obscured by attributions since found unsustainable.[3]

Four broad stages in his artistic development are characterised by Elise Lawton Smith as his early half-length figures (*c* 1506–1512), the development of his [landscapes](/source/Landscape) (*c* 1512–1520), the influence of Antwerp paintings (*c* 1521–25) and the late works (*ca* 1525–1531), where multiple figures are deployed against wooded landscapes, as in the *Healing of blind man of Jericho*.

Raimondi's studies of nudes inspired van Leyden in his later work, particularly his altarpieces, in which he is an early Dutch adopter of the Italian-style nude figure. Two further artistic influences were [Albrecht Dürer](/source/Albrecht_D%C3%BCrer) and [Jan Gossaert](/source/Jan_Gossaert). Indeed, he was friends with both, and Dürer drew van Leyden's portrait when they met in 1521. Dürer's mastery of engraving and Gossaert's [Romanist](/source/Romanism) style both heavily influenced van Leyden's work.[4]

## Prints

*The [Holy Family](/source/Holy_Family)*

Lucas's print included secular subjects, and many depictions of famous Biblical scenes, including *Adoration of the Magi*, *The Virgin and Child on the Crescent*, and *The Holy Family*.

### The Power of Women Series

From 1513 to 1517, Lucas created a series of woodcuts called "The Power of Women", which consisted of two large and small sets of prints.[5] The series is one of a number of representations of the [Power of Women](/source/Power_of_Women) theme, which was extremely popular in Renaissance art and literature. Artworks in the genre depict the traditional roles of men and women in inverse, with women dominating over men in various situations. The subjects illustrated often consist of legendary historical women who were considered to be virtuous heroines as well as women who were considered cunning, seductive, and manipulative of men. The purpose of the "Power of Women" theme was to demonstrate that even the strongest and wisest of men were not resistant to the sexuality of women.[6]

#### Large Power of Women (1513—)

*The [Mouth of Truth](/source/Bocca_della_Verit%C3%A0)*: A woman kneels in front of the Emperor of Rome and places her hand in the mouth of a statue of a lion while a crowd observes in the background.[7]

*The [Fall of Man](/source/Fall_of_Man)*: In the foreground, Eve stands to the left of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, around which a serpent is wrapped, and hands an apple to Adam, who sits to the right of the tree. In the background to the right, an angel drives Adam and Eve out of Eden.[7]

*[Samson](/source/Samson) and [Delilah](/source/Delilah):* Delilah sits a bed of rocks while Samson lies sleeping in her lap. She holds his hair in one hand and cuts it with a knife.[8]

*[Solomon](/source/Solomon)'s Idolatry:* King Solomon kneels in front of an idol of Moloch in the centre foreground while one of his mistresses and a crowd of men observe him from behind.[9]

*[Herod](/source/Herod_the_Great) and [Herodias](/source/Herodias)*: Herod and Herodias sit at a table while their daughter [Salome](/source/Salome) approaches them, holding a plate bearing the head of St. John the Baptist.[10]

*The Poet [Virgil](/source/Virgil) Suspended in a Basket:* Virgil is shown stranded in a basket hung on the side of a tower in the town square, with a jeering crowd below him.[11]

#### Small Power of Women (1517—)

*The [Fall of Man](/source/Fall_of_Man)*: In the foreground, Adam and Eve are around the tree of knowledge of good and evil, with the serpent wrapped around the trunk and holding an apple. In the background, an angel drives Adam and Eve out of paradise.[12]

*[Jael](/source/Jael) Killing [Sisera](/source/Sisera)*: In the foreground, Jael hammers a tent peg into Sisera's ear as he lies on the ground. In the middle ground on the right, Jael points out the foreground scene to a group of armed Israelites. In the background on the left, Sisera drinks from a goblet given to him by Jael.[13]

*[Samson](/source/Samson) and [Delilah](/source/Delilah)*: Same as woodcut of larger size. Delilah sits a bed of rocks while Samson lies sleeping in her lap. She holds his hair in one hand and cuts it with a knife.[8]

*[Solomon](/source/Solomon)'s Idolatry*: Same as woodcut of larger size. King Solomon kneels in front of an idol of Moloch in the centre foreground while one of his mistresses and a crowd of men observe him from behind.[9]

*[Jezebel](/source/Jezebel) Promising Naboth's Vineyards to [King Ahab](/source/Ahab)*: Jezebel stands beside her husband King Ahab of Israel, who is lying on his bed in his room.[14]

*[Herod](/source/Herod_the_Great) and [Herodias](/source/Herodias)*: In the foreground, Salome holds a plate bearing the head of St. John the Baptist in front of Herod and Herodias, who are sitting at a table. Through a window on the back wall, St. John the Baptist is seen being beheaded.[12]

## Collections

Today, Lucas's work is held in the permanent collections of several institutions worldwide, including the [Metropolitan Museum of Art](/source/Metropolitan_Museum_of_Art),[13] the [Museum of Fine Arts, Boston](/source/Museum_of_Fine_Arts%2C_Boston),[11] the [British Museum](/source/British_Museum),[7] the [Princeton University Art Museum](/source/Princeton_University_Art_Museum),[15] the [Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen](/source/Museum_Boijmans_Van_Beuningen),[16] the [Philadelphia Museum of Art](/source/Philadelphia_Museum_of_Art),[17] the [Fralin Museum of Art](/source/Fralin_Museum_of_Art),[18] the [Brooklyn Museum](/source/Brooklyn_Museum),[19] the [Ashmolean Museum](/source/Ashmolean_Museum),[20] the [Detroit Institute of Arts](/source/Detroit_Institute_of_Arts),[21] the [Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa](/source/Museum_of_New_Zealand_Te_Papa_Tongarewa),[22] the [Worcester Art Museum](/source/Worcester_Art_Museum),[23] the [Clark Art Institute](/source/Clark_Art_Institute),[24] the [University of Michigan Museum of Art](/source/University_of_Michigan_Museum_of_Art),[25] and the [Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum](/source/Thyssen-Bornemisza_Museum).[26]

## Gallery

	- Paintings

		- *[Annunciation](/source/Annunciation)*, 1522

		- *[Virgin](/source/Mary%2C_mother_of_Jesus) and [Child](/source/Christ_Child) with [Mary Magdalen](/source/Mary_Magdalene) and a donor*, 1522

		- *[Healing of blind man](/source/Healing_the_blind_near_Jericho) of Jericho*, triptych [transferred to single canvas](/source/Transfer_of_panel_paintings), 1531

		- *Bearing of the Cross with [Veronica](/source/Saint_Veronica)*, 1520s

		- *The Temptation of [St Anthony](/source/Anthony_of_Padua)*

		- *Card Players*

		- *The Last Judgement*

		- *Saint Paul*, attr. Leyden

		- *[Christ](/source/Jesus) with [Crown of Thorns](/source/Crown_of_thorns)*, Lost work, After Lucas van Leyden

		- *[Lot and his Daughters](/source/Lot_and_His_Daughters_(anonymous))*, now anonymous but previously attributed to van Leyden.

	- Engravings

		- *Mohammed and the Murdered Monk*, 1508

		- *The Milkmaid*, 1510

		- *Joseph Explains Pharaoh's Dream*, 1512

		- *Resting Pilgrims*

		- *Virgil in a Basket*, 1525

	- Large Power of Women Woodcuts

		- *The Poet Virgil Suspended in a Basket*

		- *Herod and Herodias*

		- *The Fall of Man*

	- Small Power of Women Woodcuts

		- *Jael Killing Sisera*

		- *Solomon's Idolatry*

		- *The Fall of Man*

		- *Samson and Delilah*

## See also

- [Renaissance in the Netherlands](/source/Renaissance_in_the_Netherlands)

## References

### Notes

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Also named either **Lucas Hugensz** or **Lucas Jacobsz**

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** [Smith 1992](#CITEREFSmith1992), p. 279 identifies Huygh Jacobsz with the pseudonymous *Master of the St John Panels*.

### Citations

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTESmith1992_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTESmith1992_2-1) [Smith 1992](#CITEREFSmith1992).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Mander_3-0)** (in Dutch) [Lucas van Leyden biography](http://www.dbnl.org/tekst/mand001schi01_01/mand001schi01_01_0194.htm) in [Karel van Mander](/source/Karel_van_Mander)'s *[Schilder-boeck](/source/Schilder-boeck)*, 1604, courtesy of the [Digital library for Dutch literature](/source/Digital_library_for_Dutch_literature)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEFriedländer1924_5-0)** [Friedländer 1924](#CITEREFFriedländer1924).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Lucas van Leyden | Dutch artist"](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Lucas-van-Leyden). *[Encyclopædia Britannica](/source/Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica)*. Retrieved 23 October 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Hollstein, Friedrich. W. H. (1993). ["The New Hollstein: Dutch and Flemish etchings, engravings and woodcuts 1450–1700"](http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=1335479&partId=1&people=114364&peoA=114364-1-7&page=1). *The British Museum*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Iowa Research Online"](https://web.archive.org/web/20100720025853/http://ir.uiowa.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1410&context=mff). Archived from [the original](http://ir.uiowa.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1410&context=mff) on 20 July 2010.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-LargePower_9-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-LargePower_9-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-LargePower_9-2) ["The Large Power of Women Series"](https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1849-1027-84). *[The British Museum](/source/The_British_Museum)*.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-auto_10-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-auto_10-1) ["Lucas van Leyden | Samson and Delilah | The Met"](http://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/364682). *The Metropolitan Museum of Art, i.e. The Met Museum*. Retrieved 19 June 2017.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-auto1_11-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-auto1_11-1) ["Solomon's Idolatry | The Art Institute of Chicago"](http://www.artic.edu/aic/collections/artwork/106574). *www.artic.edu*. Retrieved 19 June 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** Lucas van Leyden (c. 1512), [*Herod and Herodias*](http://www.nga.gov/content/ngaweb/Collection/art-object-page.37143.html), retrieved 19 June 2017

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:1_13-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:1_13-1) ["The Poet Virgil Suspended in a Basket (Block 6 from a series of 6, The "large" Power of Women)"](https://web.archive.org/web/20170307205037/http://www.mfa.org/collections/object/the-poet-virgil-suspended-in-a-basket-block-6-from-a-series-of-6-the-large-power-of-women-86696). *Museum of Fine Arts, Boston*. 27 April 2016. Archived from [the original](http://www.mfa.org/collections/object/the-poet-virgil-suspended-in-a-basket-block-6-from-a-series-of-6-the-large-power-of-women-86696) on 7 March 2017. Retrieved 19 June 2017.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-SmallPower_14-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-SmallPower_14-1) ["The Small Power of Women Series"](https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1895-0122-1157). *British Museum*. Retrieved 19 June 2017.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:2_15-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:2_15-1) ["Lucas van Leyden | Jael Killing Sisera, without ornamental frame"](http://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/364657). *The Metropolitan Museum of Art, i.e. The Met Museum*. Retrieved 19 June 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** ["Lucas van Leyden | Jezebel Promising Naboth's Vineyards to King Ahab"](http://metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/364694). *The Metropolitan Museum of Art, i.e. The Met Museum*. Retrieved 19 June 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** ["The Dance of the Magdalen (x1940-37)"](https://artmuseum.princeton.edu/collections/objects/3470). *artmuseum.princeton.edu*. Retrieved 4 June 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-18)** ["The Promenade"](https://www.boijmans.nl/en/collection/artworks/61306/The-Promenade/Lucas-van-Leyden). *Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen*. Retrieved 4 June 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-19)** ["A Fool and a Woman"](https://philamuseum.org/collection/object/261353). *philamuseum.org*. Retrieved 4 June 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-20)** ["Lucas van Leyden (Lucas Huygensz. van Leyden)"](https://collection.museum.virginia.edu/artist-maker/info?query=%5bExhibitions%5d_ID%20%3D%20%2244%22&sort=2&page=14).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-21)** ["Brooklyn Museum"](https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollection/objects/73893). *www.brooklynmuseum.org*. Retrieved 4 June 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-22)** ["St. Jerome"](https://collections.ashmolean.org/collection/browse-9148/object/49297).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-23)** ["David Playing the Harp before Saul"](https://www.dia.org/art/collection/object/david-playing-harp-saul-52657). *www.dia.org*. Retrieved 4 June 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-24)** ["David praying"](https://collections.tepapa.govt.nz/object/43457). *collections.tepapa.govt.nz*. Retrieved 4 June 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-25)** ["Lucas van Leyden – People – Worcester Art Museum"](https://worcester.emuseum.com/people/6841/lucas-van-leyden;jsessionid=C84F8B6718CBF90A88B0BB00D0BD985C). *worcester.emuseum.com*. Retrieved 4 June 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-26)** ["Golgotha"](https://www.clarkart.edu/artpiece/detail/golgotha). *www.clarkart.edu*. Retrieved 4 June 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-27)** ["Exchange: The Milkmaid"](https://exchange.umma.umich.edu/resources/19407/view). *exchange.umma.umich.edu*. Retrieved 4 June 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-28)** ["The Card Players"](https://www.museothyssen.org/en/collection/artists/leyden-lucas-van/card-players). *Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza*. Retrieved 4 June 2021.

### Sources

- [Friedländer, Max](/source/Max_Jakob_Friedl%C3%A4nder) (1924). *Lucas van Leyden*.

- Smith, Elise Lawton (1992). [*The Paintings of Lucas Van Leyden: A New Appraisal, with Catalogue Raisonné*](https://books.google.com/books?id=2bnqAAAAMAAJ). University of Missouri Press. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-8262-0824-8](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-8262-0824-8).

## External links

Media related to [Lucas van Leyden](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Lucas_van_Leyden) at Wikimedia Commons

- [11 artworks by or after Lucas van Leyden](https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/search/actor:van-leyden-lucas-c-14941533) at the [Art UK](/source/Art_UK) site

- [Prints & People: A Social History of Printed Pictures](http://libmma.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/compoundobject/collection/p15324coll10/id/94303/rec/1), an exhibition catalog from The Metropolitan Museum of Art (fully available online as PDF), which contains material on Lucas van Leyden (see index)

- [Works by Lucas van Leyden at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa](http://collections.tepapa.govt.nz/search.aspx?advanced=colProProductionMakers%3a%22van+Leyden%2c+Lucas%22)

- [Literature on Lucas van Leyden](http://www.virtual-history.com/person.php?personid=1457)

Authority control databases International VIAF GND National United States France BnF data Artists ULAN RKD Artists KulturNav Victoria Auckland Städel Prado People Netherlands Trove Deutsche Biographie Other SNAC Te Papa (New Zealand)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Lucas van Leyden](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucas_van_Leyden) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucas_van_Leyden?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.