or is a book written by the

Flemish Flemish (''Vlaams'') is a Low Franconian dialect cluster of the Dutch language. It is sometimes referred to as Flemish Dutch (), Belgian Dutch ( ), or Southern Dutch (). Flemish is native to Flanders, a historical region in northern Belgium; ...

writer and painter Karel van Mander first published in 1604 in

Haarlem Haarlem (; predecessor of ''Harlem'' in English) is a city and municipality in the Netherlands. It is the capital of the province of North Holland. Haarlem is situated at the northern edge of the Randstad, one of the most populated metropoli ...

in the

Dutch Republic The United Provinces of the Netherlands, also known as the (Seven) United Provinces, officially as the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands ( Dutch: ''Republiek der Zeven Verenigde Nederlanden''), and commonly referred to in historiograph ...

, where van Mander resided. The book is written in 17th-century Dutch and its title is commonly translated into English as 'The Book of Painters' or 'The Book of (or on) Painting' and sometimes as 'The Book on Picturing'. consists of six parts and is considered one of the principal sources on the history of art and art theory in the 15th and 16th century

Low Countries The term Low Countries, also known as the Low Lands ( nl, de Lage Landen, french: les Pays-Bas, lb, déi Niddereg Lännereien) and historically called the Netherlands ( nl, de Nederlanden), Flanders, or Belgica, is a coastal lowland region in N ...

. The book was very well received and sold well. Karel van Mander died two years after its publication. A second posthumous edition, which included a brief, anonymous biography of van Mander was published in 1618. This second edition was translated by

Hessel Miedema Hessel Miedema (21 January 1929, Sneek – 14 April 2019) was a leading Dutch art historian and the world authority on Karel van Mander. Biography He was born in Sneek, but grew up in Amsterdam, where he studied art history at the University of A ...

into English and published in 1994-1997 together with a facsimile of the original and five volumes of notes on the text.

Summary

is divided into six parts that have separate title pages and are indexed. The parts are: * The foundations of the noble and free art of painting () * Lives of the illustrious ancient painters including Egyptians, Greek and Romans () * Lives of the modern or contemporary illustrious Italian painters () * Lives of the illustrious Netherlandish and German painters () * Commentary on the Metamorphoses of Publius Ovidius Nasso () * Depiction of figures ()

Historiographic background

The history of early Netherlandish painting was first described by the Italian Lodovico Guicciardini in his (1567; The Description of the Low Countries). This book formed a source for

Giorgio Vasari Giorgio Vasari (, also , ; 30 July 1511 – 27 June 1574) was an Italian Renaissance Master, who worked as a painter, architect, engineer, writer, and historian, who is best known for his work '' The Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculp ...

's famous biographical accounts of painters in his book ''

Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects ''The Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects'' ( it, Le vite de' più eccellenti pittori, scultori, e architettori), often simply known as ''The Lives'' ( it, Le Vite), is a series of artist biographies written by 16th-ce ...

'', often referred to as the . That tradition took little account of the geographic topology of the

Low countries The term Low Countries, also known as the Low Lands ( nl, de Lage Landen, french: les Pays-Bas, lb, déi Niddereg Lännereien) and historically called the Netherlands ( nl, de Nederlanden), Flanders, or Belgica, is a coastal lowland region in N ...

and the van Eyck brothers were considered the fathers of Netherlandish painting concentrated in

Bruges Bruges ( , nl, Brugge ) is the capital and largest City status in Belgium, city of the Provinces of Belgium, province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium, in the northwest of the country, and the sixth-largest city of the countr ...

. Karel van Mander intended to correct this misconception by listing all the famous early Netherlandish painters. He encountered many difficulties in obtaining accurate information, due to the political and religious unrest at the time. The biographies in the are similar in style and format to Vasari's . Karel van Mander digresses only rarely from the format: starting per painter with an overview of the childhood years and a list of teachers, followed by some career information and concluding with a list of notable works. The second edition includes a biography of van Mander himself that Miedema believes was written by his brother, who may have been with him on his deathbed. Other candidates have been proposed as authors of the biography. Recently his son Karel van Mander the Younger was identified as a possible author. His son would have relied on biographical information that Karel van Mander had written himself as well as on his own recollections and notes. The information in the biographical sketch is not entirely reliable but is still regarded as the best source of information on van Mander's life.H. Duits, 'Het leven van Karel van Mander. Kunstenaarsleven of schrijversbiografie?'
De zeventiende eeuw 9 (1993), nr. 2, p. 117-136 Van Mander was writing in a country where

Calvinist Calvinism (also called the Reformed Tradition, Reformed Protestantism, Reformed Christianity, or simply Reformed) is a major branch of Protestantism that follows the theological tradition and forms of Christian practice set down by John C ...

s were powerful and religious art was regarded with suspicion. The market for religious subjects was quickly replaced in favor of genre scenes and historical allegories. It became fashionable to choose politically correct subjects such as stories too old to be offensive to either Protestants or Catholics. The city of Haarlem needed to reinvent itself after losing its attraction as a pilgrimage site for St.

Bavo Saint Bavo of Ghent (also known as Bavon, Allowin, Bavonius, Baaf; AD 622–659) is a Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox saint. He was the son of Pepin of Landen and the brother of saints Begga and Gertrude of Nivelles. Life Bavo was born ne ...

. Its leaders commissioned paintings depicting the city's glorious past, such as in the story of the crusade against

Damietta Damietta ( arz, دمياط ' ; cop, ⲧⲁⲙⲓⲁϯ, Tamiati) is a port city and the capital of the Damietta Governorate in Egypt, a former bishopric and present multiple Catholic titular see. It is located at the Damietta branch, an easte ...

, which was the basis for the

Coat of arms of Haarlem The coat of arms of Haarlem is the official symbol of the city of Haarlem. The sword and stars can be found as public decorations throughout the city. Heraldic elements Escutcheon The coat of arms of Haarlem consists of a red shield with a ...

. Artists and writers helped update the local source of inspiration for art. Van Mander contributed to this effort by supplying a list of biographies of ancient painters in ''Lives of Ancient Egyptian, Greek and Roman painters'' and his commentaries on

Ovid Pūblius Ovidius Nāsō (; 20 March 43 BC – 17/18 AD), known in English as Ovid ( ), was a Augustan literature (ancient Rome), Roman poet who lived during the reign of Augustus. He was a contemporary of the older Virgil and Horace, with whom ...

's Metamorphoses and the depiction of figures.

The six parts of the

The foundations of the noble and free art of painting

The book begins with a book on the "foundation" of the art of paintings. This introductory book has fourteen chapters on art theory listing such subjects as landscapes, animals, drapery, and arrangements of subjects.

Lives of the illustrious ancient painters including Egyptians, Greek and Roman

s biographies of ancient painters is almost entirely based on Pliny's '' Naturalis Historia'' and offers no new material.

Van Mander's list of ancient Greek painters

Agatharchus Agatharchus or Agatharch ( grc, Ἀγάθαρχος) was a self-taught painter from Samos, who lived in the 5th century BC. His father was named Eudemos (Εὔδημος). He is said by Vitruvius to have invented scenic painting, and to have pai ...

* Androcydes * Antiphilus *

Apelles Apelles of Kos (; grc-gre, Ἀπελλῆς; fl. 4th century BC) was a renowned painter of ancient Greece. Pliny the Elder, to whom much of modern scholars' knowledge of this artist is owed ('' Naturalis Historia'' 35.36.79–97 and ''passim' ...

Apollodorus Apollodorus (Greek: Ἀπολλόδωρος ''Apollodoros'') was a popular name in ancient Greece. It is the masculine gender of a noun compounded from Apollo, the deity, and doron, "gift"; that is, "Gift of Apollo." It may refer to: :''Note: A f ...

* Aristides of Thebes * Cimon of Cleonae *

Echion In Greek mythology, the name Echion ( Ancient Greek: Ἐχῑ́ων (''gen''.: Ἐχίονος), derivative of ἔχις ''echis'' "viper") referred to five different beings: *Echion, one of the Gigantes, known for great strength (though not nece ...

* Euphranor * Eupompus * Melanthius *

Nicomachus of Thebes Nicomachus of Thebes ( el, Νικόμαχος; fl. 4th century BC) was an ancient Greek painter, a native of Thebes, and a contemporary of the great painters of the Classical period. He trained under his father Aristides, also a painter.Pliny, ' ...

* Pamphilus of Amphipolis * Panaenus * Parrhasius * Pausias * Polyeidos * Polygnotus * Protogenes *

Theon of Samos Theon of Samos ( grc, Θέων ὁ Σάμιος) was an ancient Greek painter during the era of Alexander the Great, is mentioned by Quintilian as a good artist of the second rank. If we may trust the somewhat flimsy stories told about him, his ...

* Timarete *

Timomachus Timomachus of Byzantium (or Timomachos, a transliteration of Τιμόμαχος) was an influential painter of the first century BCE. Works Pliny the Elder, in his ''Naturalis Historia'' (35.136), records that Julius Caesar had acquired two pa ...

* Zeuxis

Lives of the modern or contemporary illustrious Italian painters

Van Mander based this part of the on Vasari's . The had been published half a century earlier. For this reason he only translated about half of Vasari's biographical sketches, and he added Italian artists from his years in Italy, such as

Tintoretto Tintoretto ( , , ; born Jacopo Robusti; late September or early October 1518Bernari and de Vecchi 1970, p. 83.31 May 1594) was an Italian painter identified with the Venetian school. His contemporaries both admired and criticized the speed wit ...

who became known after Vasari's work was published. Van Mander also purposefully editorialized Vasari's biographies by reinterpreting some of Vasari's material and by adding to Vasari's text with a view to updating it.Amy Golahny, "Insights into the Dutch Vasari: Van Mander's Life of Titian"
In:

Canadian Journal of Netherlandic Studies The ''Canadian Journal of Netherlandic Studies'' (French: ''Revue canadienne d'études néerlandaises'') is an academic journal covering Dutch studies. It is the official journal of the Canadian Association for the Advancement of Netherlandic Stu ...

2001 What follows is a list of Vasari sketches that van Mander translated and included in his work: * Cimabue * Andrea Tafi * Gaddo Gaddi * Margaritone *

Giotto Giotto di Bondone (; – January 8, 1337), known mononymously as Giotto ( , ) and Latinised as Giottus, was an Italian painter and architect from Florence during the Late Middle Ages. He worked during the Gothic/ Proto-Renaissance period. G ...

, with Puccio Capanna * Stefano di Giovanni and Ugolino di Nerio *

Pietro Lorenzetti Pietro Lorenzetti (; – 1348) or Pietro Laurati was an Italian painter, active between c. 1306 and 1345. Together with his younger brother Ambrogio, he introduced naturalism into Sienese art. In their artistry and experiments with three-dimen ...

(Pietro Laurati) * Buonamico Buffalmacco * Ambrogio Lorenzetti (Ambruogio Laurati) * Pietro Cavallini *

Simone Martini Simone Martini ( – 1344) was an Italian painter born in Siena. He was a major figure in the development of early Italian painting and greatly influenced the development of the International Gothic style. It is thought that Martini was a pupil ...

with Lippo Memmi *

Taddeo Gaddi Taddeo Gaddi (c. 1290, in Florence – 1366, in Florence) was a medieval Italian painter and architect. He was the son of Gaddo di Zanobi, called Gaddo Gaddi. He was a member of Giotto's workshop from 1313 until the master's death in 1337. ...

Andrea Orcagna Andrea di Cione di Arcangelo (c. 1308 – 25 August 1368), better known as Orcagna, was an Italian painter, sculptor, and architect active in Florence. He worked as a consultant at the Florence Cathedral and supervised the construction of the fa ...

(Andrea di Cione) * Tommaso Fiorentino *

Lippo Lippo Group is an Indonesian multinational conglomerate company. The company operates internationally providing property development and management services. It was founded by Mochtar Riady. Lippo has a collective presence across Asia and Nor ...

Masaccio Masaccio (, , ; December 21, 1401 – summer 1428), born Tommaso di Ser Giovanni di Simone, was a Florentine artist who is regarded as the first great Italian painter of the Quattrocento period of the Italian Renaissance. According to Vasar ...

Leon Battista Alberti Leon Battista Alberti (; 14 February 1404 – 25 April 1472) was an Italian Renaissance humanist author, artist, architect, poet, priest, linguist, philosopher, and cryptographer; he epitomised the nature of those identified now as polymaths. H ...

* Antonello da Messina *

Domenico Ghirlandaio Domenico di Tommaso Curradi di Doffo Bigordi (, , ; 2 June 1448 – 11 January 1494), professionally known as Domenico Ghirlandaio, also spelled as Ghirlandajo, was an Italian Renaissance painter born in Florence. Ghirlandaio was part of t ...

Antonio del Pollaiuolo Antonio del Pollaiuolo ( , , ; 17 January 1429/14334 February 1498), also known as Antonio di Jacopo Pollaiuolo or Antonio Pollaiuolo (also spelled Pollaiolo), was an Italian painter, sculptor, engraver, and goldsmith during the Italian Re ...

* Sandro Botticelli *

Andrea del Verrocchio Andrea del Verrocchio (, , ; – 1488), born Andrea di Michele di Francesco de' Cioni, was a sculptor, Italian painter and goldsmith who was a master of an important workshop in Florence. He apparently became known as ''Verrocchio'' after the ...

* Andrea Mantegna *

Filippino Lippi Filippino Lippi (April 1457 – 18 April 1504) was an Italian painter working in Florence, Italy during the later years of the Early Renaissance and first few years of the High Renaissance. Biography Filippino Lippi was born in Prato, Tu ...

* Francesco Francia *

Pietro Perugino Pietro Perugino (, ; – 1523), born Pietro Vannucci, was an Italian Renaissance painter of the Umbrian school, who developed some of the qualities that found classic expression in the High Renaissance. Raphael was his most famous pupil. E ...

* Luca Signorelli *

Leonardo da Vinci Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci (15 April 14522 May 1519) was an Italian polymath of the High Renaissance who was active as a painter, draughtsman, engineer, scientist, theorist, sculptor, and architect. While his fame initially rested on ...

Giorgione da Castelfranco Giorgione (, , ; born Giorgio Barbarelli da Castelfranco; 1477–78 or 1473–74 – 17 September 1510) was an Italian painter of the Venetian school during the High Renaissance, who died in his thirties. He is known for the elusive poetic quali ...

Antonio da Correggio Antonio Allegri da Correggio (August 1489 – 5 March 1534), usually known as just Correggio (, also , , ), was the foremost painter of the Parma school of the High Italian Renaissance, who was responsible for some of the most vigorous and sens ...

Raffaellino del Garbo Raffaellino del Garbo (1466 – 1527) was a Florentine painter of the early Renaissance. Biography His real name was Raffaello di Bartolomeo dei Carli. He was also known as Raffaello Capponi after his adoptive family. The appellation "del Garb ...

Baldassare Peruzzi Baldassare Tommaso Peruzzi (7 March 1481 – 6 January 1536) was an Italian architect and painter, born in a small town near Siena (in Ancaiano, ''frazione'' of Sovicille) and died in Rome. He worked for many years with Bramante, Raphael, and lat ...

* Pellegrino da Modena (Pellegrino Aretusi) *

Andrea del Sarto Andrea del Sarto (, , ; 16 July 1486 – 29 September 1530) was an Italian painter from Florence, whose career flourished during the High Renaissance and early Mannerism. He was known as an outstanding fresco decorator, painter of altar-pieces ...

* Giovanni Antonio Licino *

Polidoro da Caravaggio Polidoro Caldara, usually known as Polidoro da Caravaggio ( – 1543) was an Italian painter of the Mannerist period, "arguably the most gifted and certainly the least conventional of Raphael's pupils", who was best known for his now-vanished ...

and

Maturino da Firenze Maturino da Firenze (1490–1528) was an Italian painter, born in Florence, but working in Rome during the Renaissance. Vasari described the relationship between Polidoro da Caravaggio and Maturino as exceedingly close: Vasari did not disti ...

(''Maturino Fiorentino'') * Bartolommeo Ramenghi (''Bartolomeo Da Bagnacavallo'') * Franciabigio * Francesco Mazzola * Jacopo Palma (Il Palma) *

Lorenzo Lotto Lorenzo Lotto (c. 1480 – 1556/57) was an Italian painter, draughtsman, and illustrator, traditionally placed in the Venetian school, though much of his career was spent in other north Italian cities. He painted mainly altarpieces, religiou ...

* Giulio Romano * Sebastiano del Piombo (Sebastiano Viniziano) *

Perino Del Vaga Perino (or Perin) del Vaga (nickname of Piero Bonaccorsi) (1501 – October 19, 1547) was an Italian painter and draughtsman of the Late Renaissance/ Mannerism. Biography Perino was born near Florence. His father ruined himself by gambling, ...

* Giovann'Antonio Lappoli *

Baccio Bandinelli Baccio Bandinelli (also called Bartolommeo Brandini; 12 November 1493 – shortly before 7 February 1560), was an Italian Renaissance sculptor, draughtsman, and painter. Biography Bandinelli was the son of a prominent Florentine goldsmith, ...

* Jacopo da Pontormo * Giovanni da Udine * Francesco Rustichi * Francesco detto de' Salviati * Daniello Ricciarelli da Volterra * Taddeo Zucchero *

Michelangelo Buonarroti Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni (; 6 March 1475 – 18 February 1564), known as Michelangelo (), was an Italian sculptor, painter, architect, and poet of the High Renaissance. Born in the Republic of Florence, his work was in ...

(Michelangelo) *

Francesco Primaticcio Francesco Primaticcio (April 30, 1504 – 1570) was an Italian Mannerist painter, architect and sculptor who spent most of his career in France. Biography Born in Bologna, he trained under Giulio Romano in Mantua and became a pupil ...

* Tiziano da Cadore (Titian) *

* Paulo Caliary, student of Giovanni Francesco Caroto *

Jacopo Bassano Jacopo Bassano (c. 1510 – 14 February 1592), known also as Jacopo dal Ponte, was an Italian painter who was born and died in Bassano del Grappa near Venice, and took the village as his surname. Trained in the workshop of his father, Francesco t ...

* Frederick Zucchero * Frederick Barozio *

* Giuseppe Cesari * Other Italian painters worthy of mention;

Annibale Carracci Annibale Carracci (; November 3, 1560 – July 15, 1609) was an Italian painter and instructor, active in Bologna and later in Rome. Along with his brother and cousin, Annibale was one of the progenitors, if not founders of a leading strand of t ...

(Caratz),

Michael Agnolo van Caravaggio Michelangelo Merisi (Michele Angelo Merigi or Amerighi) da Caravaggio, known as simply Caravaggio (, , ; 29 September 1571 – 18 July 1610), was an Italian painter active in Rome for most of his artistic life. During the final four years of hi ...

* List of painters he knew during his time in Italy, and afterwards;

Girolamo Siciolante da Sermoneta Girolamo is an Italian variant of the name Hieronymus. Its English equivalent is Jerome. It may refer to: * Girolamo Cardano (1501–1576), Italian Renaissance mathematician, physician, astrologer and gambler * Girolamo Cassar (c. 1520 – after ...

, Antonio Tempesta, Ventura Salimbeni,

Marco Pino Marco Pino or Marco da Siena (1521–1583) was an Italian painter of the Renaissance and Mannerist period. Born in Costalpino and first trained in Siena, he later worked in Rome and in Naples, where he died. He was putatively a pupil of the pain ...

Andrea Boscoli Andrea Boscoli (c. 1560 – c. 1606) was an Italian painter of the Renaissance. He was born in Florence, where he trained under Santi di Tito. He painted a ''Sermon of St John the Baptist'' for the church of San Giovanni Battista belonging to th ...

Lives of the illustrious Netherlandish and German painters

Van Mander is less known for his translated work on Italian art than he is for his biographical sketches of Netherlandish painters. What follows is the list of already famous painters from the low countries discussed in the book. * Jan and

Hubert van Eyck Hubert van Eyck () or Huybrecht van Eyck ( – 18 September 1426) was an Early Netherlandish painter and older brother of Jan van Eyck, as well as Lambert and Margareta, also painters. The absence of any single work that he can clearly be said to ...

* Rogier van Brugghe *

Hugo van der Goes Hugo van der Goes (c. 1430/1440 – 1482) was one of the most significant and original Early Netherlandish painting, Flemish painters of the late 15th century. Van der Goes was an important painter of altarpieces as well as portraits. He introduce ...

* Albert van Ouwater and Albert Simonsz * Geertgen tot Sint Jans *

Dirk Bouts Dieric Bouts (born c. 1415 – 6 May 1475) was an Early Netherlandish painter. Bouts may have studied under Rogier van der Weyden, and his work was influenced by van der Weyden and Jan van Eyck. He worked in Leuven from 1457 (or possibly earlier) ...

* Rogier van der Weyden * Jacob Cornelisz van Oostsanen *

Albrecht Dürer Albrecht Dürer (; ; hu, Ajtósi Adalbert; 21 May 1471 – 6 April 1528),Müller, Peter O. (1993) ''Substantiv-Derivation in Den Schriften Albrecht Dürers'', Walter de Gruyter. . sometimes spelled in English as Durer (without an umlaut) or Due ...

* Cornelis Engelbrechtsz *

Bernard van Orley Bernard van Orley (between 1487 and 1491 – 6 January 1541), also called Barend or Barent van Orley, Bernaert van Orley or Barend van Brussel, was a versatile Flemish artist and representative of Dutch and Flemish Renaissance painting, who w ...

Lucas van Leyden Lucas van Leyden (1494 – 8 August 1533), also named either Lucas Hugensz or Lucas Jacobsz, was a Dutch painter and printmaker in engraving and woodcut. Lucas van Leyden was among the first Dutch exponents of genre painting and was a very ac ...

* Ian den Hollander * Quentin Matsys * Hieronymus Bosch * Cornelis Cornelisz Kunst * Lucas Cornelisz de Kock *

Jan Joest van Calcar Jan Joest, also known as Jan Joest van Kalkar or Jan Joest van Calcar (between 1450 and 1460 – 1519), was a Dutch painter from either Kalkar or Wesel (both now in Germany), known for his religious paintings. Biography Jan Joest was pract ...

* Pieter van Aelst * Joachim Patinir *

Herri met de Bles Herri met de Bles, also known as Henri Blès, Herri de Dinant, Herry de Patinir, and ''il Civetta'' (c. 1490 – after 1566), was a Flemish Northern Renaissance and Mannerist landscape painter, native of Bouvignes or Dinant (both in present-day B ...

* Lucas Gassel van Helmont *

Lambert Lombard Lambert Lombard (c. 1505 – August 1566) was a Renaissance painter, architect and theorist for the Prince-Bishopric of Liège. During his career he worked for Jan Gossaert in Middelburg and trained Frans Floris. Biography Lombard was bo ...

Hans Holbein the Younger Hans Holbein the Younger ( , ; german: Hans Holbein der Jüngere; – between 7 October and 29 November 1543) was a German-Swiss painter and printmaker who worked in a Northern Renaissance style, and is considered one of the greatest por ...

Jan Cornelisz Vermeyen Jan Cornelisz Vermeyen, or Jan Mayo, or Barbalonga (c. 1504 – 1559) was a Dutch Northern Renaissance painter. Biography Based on his will, rediscovered in 1998, Vermeyen was born in Beverwijk in 1504 (possibly 1503 or 1505). According to ...

* Jan Mabuse * Augustijn Ioorisz * Joos van Cleve *

Aldegraef Heinrich Aldegrever or Aldegraf (1502–1555, 1558 or 1561) was a German painter and engraver. He was one of the "Little Masters", the group of German artists making small old master prints in the generation after Albrecht Dürer. Biography Pain ...

* Swart Jan * Frans Minnebroer with Frans Verbeeck, Vincent Geldersman, Hans Hoogenbergh, Frans Crabbe, Claes Roegier, Hans Kaynoot den dooven, Cornelis Enghelrams, Marcus Willems, and Iaques de Poindre, and Gregorius Beerings *

Jan Mostaert Jan Mostaert (c. 1475 – 1552/1553) was a Dutch Renaissance painter who is known mainly for his religious subjects and portraits. One of his most famous creations was the ''Landscape with an Episode from the Conquest of America''. There are ve ...

* Adriaen de Weerdt *

Hendrick Hendrick may refer to: People * Hendrick (given name), alternative spelling of the Dutch given name Hendrik * Hendrick (surname) * King Hendrick (disambiguation), one of two Mohawk leaders who have often been conflated: ** Hendrick Tejonihokarawa ( ...

and

Marten van Cleef Marten van Cleve the Elder (Antwerp, c. 1527 – Antwerp, before 24 November 1581) was a Flemish painter and draftsman active in Antwerp between 1551 and 1581.Carl Van de Velde. "Marten van Cleve I." Grove Art Online. Oxford Art Online. Oxfo ...

* Anthonis Mor *

Jacob de Backer Jacob de Backer (c. 1555 – c. 1591) was a Flemish Mannerist painter and draughtsman active in Antwerp between about 1571 and 1585. Even though he died young at the age of 30, the artist was very prolific and an extensive body of work has been ...

* Matthys Cock and

Hieronymus Cock Hieronymus Cock, or Hieronymus Wellens de Cock (1518 – 3 October 1570) was a Flemish painter and etcher as well as a publisher and distributor of prints.

Willem Key Willem Adriaensz Key (1516 – 5 June 1568) was a Flemish Renaissance painter. Biography Key was born in Breda, Netherlands. In 1529 he was known to be a pupil of Pieter Coecke van Aelst in Antwerp. Later, together with Frans Floris, he t ...

Pieter Brueghel the Elder Pieter Bruegel (also Brueghel or Breughel) the Elder (, ; ; – 9 September 1569) was the most significant artist of Dutch and Flemish Renaissance painting, a painter and printmaker, known for his landscapes and peasant scenes (so-called ge ...

* Jan van Scorel *

Aertgen van Leyden Aertgen Claesz. van Leyden (Leiden, c. 1498 – Leiden, c. 1564), also known as Allaert or Aert van Leyden or Aert Claesz. van Leyden, was a 16th-Century Dutch painter, draughtsman and designer of stained glass. Works by this artist can be foun ...

* Joachim Beuckelaer *

Frans Floris Frans Floris, Frans Floris the Elder or Frans Floris de Vriendt (17 April 15191 October 1570) was a Flemish painter, draughtsman, print artist and tapestry designer. He is mainly known for his history paintings, allegorical scenes and portraits.< ...

* Pieter Aertsen *

Maarten van Heemskerck Maarten van Heemskerck or ''Marten Jacobsz Heemskerk van Veen'' (1 June 1498 - 1 October 1574) was a Dutch portrait and religious painter, who spent most of his career in Haarlem. He was a pupil of Jan van Scorel, and adopted his teacher's Itali ...

Richard Aertsz Richard Aartsz, or Rijckaert Aertsz (1482 – May 1577) was a Dutch Renaissance painter of historical allegories. Most of his works were painted while he lived in Antwerp. He was a pupil of Jan Mostaert in Haarlem. Frans Floris became his pupil ...

* Hubert Goltz *

Pieter Vlerick van Cortrijck Pieter is a male given name, the Dutch form of Peter. The name has been one of the most common names in the Netherlands for centuries, but since the mid-twentieth century its popularity has dropped steadily, from almost 3000 per year in 1947 t ...

and Carel van Yper * Anthonie van Montfoort * Lucas de Heere * Jacques Grimmaer * Cornelis Molenaer * Pieter Balten * Joos van Liere *

Pieter Pourbus Pieter Jansz. Pourbus (c. 1523–1584) was a Flemish Renaissance painter, draftsman, engineer and cartographer who was active in Bruges during the 16th century. He is known primarily for his religious and portrait paintings.

and Frans Pourbus the Elder with

Frans Pourbus the younger Frans Pourbus the Younger (1569–1622) was a Flemish painter, son of Frans Pourbus the Elder and grandson of Pieter Pourbus. He was born in Antwerp and died in Paris. He is also referred to as "Frans II". Pourbus worked for many of the highl ...

Marcus Gheeraerts the Elder Marcus Gheeraerts the Elder, Marc Gerard and Marcus Garret (c. 1520 – c. 1590) was a Flemish painter, draughtsman, print designer and etcher who was active in his native Flanders and in England. He practised in many genres, including portraits ...

* Christoffel Swarts *

Michael Coxcie Michiel Coxie the Elder, Michiel Coxcie the Elder or Michiel van Coxcie, Latinised name ''Coxius''Michiel Coxie (I) ...

* Dirck Barendsz * Lucas and Marten van Valckenborgh * Hans Bol *

Frans Frans is an Afrikaans, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Icelandic, Norwegian, and Swedish given name, sometimes as a short form of ''François''. One cognate of Frans in English is ''Francis''. Given name * Frans van Aarssens (1572–1641), Dutch diploma ...

and Gillis Mostart with

Jan Mandijn Jan Mandijn or Jan Mandyn (c. 1500, Haarlem – c. 1560, Antwerp) was a Dutch Renaissance painter, who worked in Antwerp after 1530. Biography Mandijn trained in Haarlem. He moved to Antwerp in 1530.Marinus van Reymerswaele *

Hendrik van Steenwijk I Hendrik van Steenwijck I (also ''Steenwyck'', ''Steenwijk'') (''c''. 1550 – buried 1 September 1603Hendrik ...

* Bernaert de Rijcke * Gielis Coignet * Joris Hoefnagel * Aert Mijtens * Joos van Winghen *

Marten de Vos Maerten de Vos, Maerten de Vos the Elder or Marten de Vos (1532 – 4 December 1603)Maerten de Vos
at the

Van Mander also described contemporary painters who he felt were of note. The following is a list of all of these painters. * Hans Vredeman de Vries * Stradanus * Gillis van Coninxloo *

Bartholomeus Spranger Bartholomeus Spranger or Bartholomaeus SprangerBartholomeus Spranger
at the Cornelis Ketel * Gualdrop Gortzius * Michiel Jansz van Mierevelt * Hendrick Goltzius *

Hendrick Cornelisz Vroom Hendrik Cornelisz Vroom (c.1562 – February 4, 1640 (buried)) was a Dutch Golden Age painter credited with being the founder of Dutch marine art or seascape painting.Jan Soens *

Hans von Aachen Hans von Aachen (1552 – 4 March 1615) was a German painter who was one of the leading representatives of Northern Mannerism. Hans von Aachen was a versatile and productive artist who worked in many genres. He was successful as a painter of p ...

* Peter Candid * Paul Bril and

Matthijs Bril Matthijs Bril or Matthijs Bril the Younger (1550 – 8 June 1583) was a Flemish painter and draughtsman of landscapes. He spent most of his active career in Rome where his drawings of ancient Roman sites played an important role in the development ...

* Cornelis van Haarlem, with Gerrit Pietersz Sweelink * Jacob de Gheyn II * Otto van Veen, Jan Snellinck, Tobias Verhaecht,

Adam van Noort Adam van Noort (1561/62 – 1641) was a Flemish painter and draughtsman and one of the teachers of Peter Paul Rubens, and the only teacher of Jacob Jordaens. Adam van Noort was mainly known for his history paintings but he also created some ...

, Hendrick van Balen, Sebastian Vrancx, Joos de Momper * Hans Rottenhammer, Hans Donauer, Adam Elsheimer,

Lodewijk Toeput Lodewijk Toeput, called il Pozzoserrato (c. 1540/1550 – between 1603 and 1605)Teréz Gerszi, ''The Draughtsmanship of Lodewijk Toeput'', Master Drawings Vol. 30, No. 4 (Winter, 1992), pp. 367-395Joachim Wtewael * Abraham Bloemaert * Pieter Cornelisz van Rijck *

Francesco Badens Frans BadensFrans Badens
at the

David Vinckboons David Vinckboons (baptized 13 August 1576 – c.1632 ) was a Dutch Golden Age painter born in Mechelen, Southern Netherlands. Vinckboons, whose name is often spelled as Vingboons, Vinghboons, Vinckebonis or Vinckboom, had at least ten childr ...

* Cornelis Floris de Vriendt, Paulus Moreelse, Michael Mierevelt, Frans de Grebber,

Jacob Savery Jacob Savery or Jacob Savery the ElderName variations: Jacob Maertensz. Saverij and Jacques Savery (1566 – buried 23 April 1603) was a Flemish painter, etcher and draughtsman. He was trained in Antwerp and later moved to the Dutch Republic af ...

, Cornelis Claesz van Wieringen, Barend and Paulus van Someren, Cornelis van der Voort, Everard Crynsz van der Maes,

Jan Antonisz. van Ravesteyn Jan Anthonisz van Ravesteyn (1572(?) – buried 21 June 1657) was a successful portrait painter to the Dutch court in The Hague. Biography Van Ravesteyn was born in The Hague. It is unknown who taught him how to paint, but he was a followe ...

, Aart Jansz Druyvesteyn, Jacques de Mosscher, Thonis Ariaensz (Alkmaar), Claes Jacobsz van der Heck (Alkmaar), Pieter Gerritsz Montfoort (Delft), Pieter Diericksen Cluyt (Delft) * Joan Ariaensz van Leiden, and Hubert Tons van Rotterdam

Commentary on the ''Metamorphoses'' of Publius Ovidius Nasso

Van Mander had received a humanist training and had earlier published a translation of Ovid's ''

Metamorphoses The ''Metamorphoses'' ( la, Metamorphōsēs, from grc, μεταμορφώσεις: "Transformations") is a Latin narrative poem from 8 CE by the Roman poet Ovid. It is considered his '' magnum opus''. The poem chronicles the history of the ...

''. In the he provided a commentary on the ''Metamorphoses''. Van Mander accepted the Renaissance view that there was no conflict between classical mythology and Old Testament history and that mythology was able to convey evangelical truths and lessons. For instance, the myth of the Titans assaulting Jupiter's throne could be interpreted as an illustration of the Christian dictum that pride is the cause of all evil. The allegorized interpretation of the ''

'' of Ovid in the is inspired by this Renaissance view of classical mythology.Karel van Mander in: Marijke Spies, Ton van Strien and Henk Duits, 'Amsterdam University Press ''Rhetoric Rhetoricians and Poets, Studies in Renaissance Poetry and Poetics'', 1999, p. 93-97 This part was well-received and was later sold as a separate book.

Depiction of figures

The final book about the depiction of figures contains a list of various animals, birds and other objects that can have meaning for the painter to include in his arrangement. This book includes some pagan rituals for use in historical allegories. Included before the index to the ''Metamorphoses'', it is meant as an extra guide for that book.

The indexes

Because the pages are numbered only on the right-hand page, the indexes have an addendum to the page number to indicate the front (recto) or back (verso) of the "folio" to be able to locate text more efficiently. Looking up painters remains difficult because the indexes use first names rather than last names, since the last names in use by the painters themselves were not consistent in all regions where the painters were active. Many painters were better known by their nicknames than their given names. For this reason, the spelling of the names used in the text does not always match the names in the indexes.

Legacy

Karel van Mander - Schilderboeck - Title page of fourth part on Netherlandish and High-German painters

The introduced Dutch and Flemish artists to Italian art and encouraged them to travel to Italy. The was very influential on art writing in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Cornelis de Bie (, 1662), Joachim von Sandrart (, 1675),

Samuel Dirksz van Hoogstraten Samuel Dirksz van Hoogstraten (2 August 1627, in Dordrecht – 19 October 1678, in Dordrecht) was a Dutch painter of the Golden Age, who was also a poet and author on art theory. Biography Samuel Dirksz van Hoogstraten trained first with his fa ...

(, 1678),

Filippo Baldinucci Filippo Baldinucci (3 June 1625 – 10 January 1696) was an Italian art historian and biographer. Life Baldinucci is considered among the most significant Florentine biographers/historians of the artists and the arts of the Baroque period. ...

(, 1681) and

Arnold Houbraken Arnold Houbraken (28 March 1660 – 14 October 1719) was a Dutch painter and writer from Dordrecht, now remembered mainly as a biographer of Dutch Golden Age painters. Life Houbraken was sent first to learn ''threadtwisting'' (Twyndraat) ...

(, 1720) are some of the early biographers who used material from the for their biographical sketches of Netherlandish painters or as a basis for developing their own art theory. The ''Lives of the illustrious Netherlandish and German painters'' is the longest book in the . It has historically been and still is the most important book for historians looking for details on (early) Netherlandish painters.Walter S. Melion, ''Shaping the Netherlandish Canon: Karel Van Mander's Schilder-Boeck'', University of Chicago Press, 1991 This book is still the most-cited primary source in biographical accounts of the lives of many artists he included. Of most interest to historians is his criticism of the work of these artists, especially when he describes the painting style, use of color, location and owner of the paintings, thus becoming a valuable source for art

provenance Provenance (from the French ''provenir'', 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody or location of a historical object. The term was originally mostly used in relation to works of art but is now used in similar senses i ...

. The is included in the ''Basic Library'' of the ''dbnl'' (

Canon of Dutch Literature Canon or Canons may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Canon (fiction), the conceptual material accepted as official in a fictional universe by its fan base * Literary canon, an accepted body of works considered as high culture ** Western can ...

), which contains what its compilers believe to be the 1,000 most important works in Dutch literature from the Middle Ages to today.

Translation

The ''Lives of the illustrious Netherlandish and German painters'' was translated into modern Dutch and English by Miedema and published in the 1990s. In his attempt to provide a systematic overview of the ''Lives'', Miedema includes a long list of the sources on which Karel van Mander relied as he did for his own modern translation, and includes prints, photos of paintings, sculpture, architecture and stained glass window cartoons to illustrate the text. He also publishes new archival evidence. ''Karel van Mander. Den Grondt der Edel Vry Schilderkonst'', by Hessel Miedema, Utrecht, 1973. 2 vols.