The Portrait in the Low Countries in the Sixteenth Century - The Phoebus Foundation

The Phoebus Foundation

The Portrait in the Low Countries in the Sixteenth Century

With Koen Fillet and Dr Paul Huvenne, art historian and former director of KMSKA.

In this episode of Phoebus Focus, host Paul Huvenne explores the world of sixteenth-century portraits, shedding light on the developments and creative innovations within this genre.


Workshop of Jan Cornelisz. Vermeyen, Portrait of Emperor Charles V, c. 1530. Formal portrait of the Habsburg ruler with beard and black cap, dressed in dark court attire with a fur-trimmed cloak, set against a plain blue background.
Workshop of Jan Cornelisz. Vermeyen, Portrait of Emperor Charles V, c.1530
Workshop of Jan Cornelisz. Vermeyen, Portrait of Isabella of Portugal, c. 1530. Formal portrait of a noblewoman with auburn hair, wearing a dark dress with wide sleeves and an ornate necklace, set against a plain blue background.
Workshop of Jan Cornelisz. Vermeyen, Portrait of Isabella of Portugal, c.1530
Circle of Frans Floris, Triptych with the Raising of Lazarus and the Family of Jacob Stockel with Saints James and Catherine (detail), c. 1570. Religious scene showing Christ raising Lazarus from the dead, surrounded by onlookers, with donor portraits and saints on the side panels, dressed in richly detailed sixteenth-century attire.
Circle of Frans Floris, Triptych of the Raising of Lazarus, with the Family of Jacob Stockel, Saint James and Saint Catherine, c.1570
Master of the Antwerp Adoration, Triptych with the Crucifixion, c. 1520. Late Gothic triptych featuring the crucified Christ at the center, flanked by Mary, John, and other saints, with donor figures shown on the side panels within a richly detailed landscape.
Master of the Antwerp Adoration, Crucifixion Triptych, c.1520
Frans II Pourbus, Portrait of Willem Van Vyve, 1591. Formal portrait of a man dressed in black with a prominent white ruff, set against a neutral background with a coat of arms in the upper corner, characteristic of refined late sixteenth-century Flemish court portraiture.
Frans Pourbus II, Pendant Portrait of Willem Van Vyve, 1591
Frans II Pourbus, Portrait of Marie De Huelstre, 1591. Formal portrait of a woman dressed in black court attire with an elaborate white ruff and refined jewelry, set against a neutral background with a family coat of arms, characteristic of late sixteenth-century Flemish portrait painting.
Frans Pourbus II, Pendant Portrait of Marie De Huelstre, 1591

Curious to learn more? Explore the accompanying publication.

Blind Date, Portretten met blikken en blozen