ISENBRANT, Adriaen

The early sixteenth century saw the establishment in Antwerp and Brussels of a new, modish style of Mannerism that broke radically from the serenity that had characterized the previous century. In Bruges, by contrast, a traditional undercurrent survived. The ‘Bruges style’ was greatly influenced by Gerard David and dominated by two of his pupils, Adriaen Isenbrant and Ambrosius Benson, both of whom remained active until about 1550.

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Gregorian chants

The identification and the date can be seen at the top of the painting.

The painter was active in Bruges. He painted under the influence of Gerard David and later Mabuse.

This refined late-Gothic painting was painted by Adriaen Isenbrandt, a follower of Gerard David in Bruges.

This compositional type, with its protagonist placed in the near foreground on a wooded hill and set in front of an aerial landscape, relates to a group of small- scale panel pictures traditionally given to Isenbrant.

The early sixteenth century saw the establishment in Antwerp and Brussels of a new, modish style of Mannerism that broke radically from the serenity that had characterized the previous century. In Bruges, by contrast, a traditional undercurrent survived. The ‘Bruges style’ was greatly influenced by Gerard David and dominated by two of his pupils, Adriaan Isenbrant (c. 1490-1551) and Ambrosius Benson, both of whom remained active until about 1550. The sfumato technique employed by Isenbrant and the dramatic colour contrasts used by Benson owe much to Italian influence. What is typical about these two painters is the way they grafted their innovations onto old compositional and iconographical schemes, especially those of a religious nature.

The triptych represents the Virgin and Child in the centre and Sts John and Jerome on the wings.

The composition of this painting is of Byzantine origin. It was renewed by Gerard David and imitated by Isenbrant and Ambrosius Benson.

The attribution to Isenbrant is doubtful, some experts assume that it was painted by another pupil of Gerard David.

This painting was discovered in 1989 and attributed to Isenbrant. It was carefully copied, albeit in a different style, from Memling’s Berlin Virgin Enthroned. The figure has been copied from Memling’s work by means of a punch-cardboard and the colours also correspond, which shows that the work was then still accessible in Bruges. Isenbrant carried out some adaptations in Renaissance style, turning the original open portico into a semi-circular niche with medallions, baluster columns and a solid stone throne. Moreover, the book of hours has been given sixteenth-century floral borders in the Ghent-Bruges style and the flat top of the panel changed into an ogive shape.

It is a remarkable example of the way in which Memling’s compositions served as models until the sixteenth century.