Leyden, Lucas van

(1494-1533)

   Dutch painter and engraver who was deeply influenced by Albrecht Dürer and the Italians. Lucas van Leyden was first trained by his father, Hugo Jacobsz van Leyden, and, when Hugo died, Lucas moved to the studio of Cornelis Engelbrechtsz. His earliest dated work is an engraving titled Mohammed and the Monk Sergius (1508), an image with Dürer-like qualities much admired by his contemporaries. In fact, Marcantonio Raimondi used van Leyden's background for his own engraving of Michelangelo's Battle of Cascina. Then followed van Leyden's engraving of Adam and Eve (1510) where the theme of mother and child is borrowed from Dürer, as are the deep pockets of dark that contrast with open areas free of crosshatching. Even van Leyden's signature, composed simply of the upper case letter "L," recalls the signature of Dürer. Van Leyden's Adoration of the Magi (c. 1500-1510; Merion Station, the Barnes Collection) is one of his early paintings. It shows a spacious, logically constructed manger populated by figures that are dwarfed by the ample setting. The construction of space in this work denotes van Leyden's understanding of Italian methods of perspective. So does his engraving of the Ecce Homo (1510), a work that recalls Jacopo Bellini's drawings of religious scenes presented as mere incidentals within elaborate cityscapes in convincing perspective. By c. 1514-1515, van Leyden adopted a more monumental style, as seen in his Card Players (c. 1514; Salisbury, Wilton House Collection), a genre scene that moralizes on the ills of gambling. His Madonna and Child with Angels (c. 1518; Berlin, Staatliche Museen), like the Card Players, brings the half figures closer to the picture plane, the musical angels recalling those of Italian masters such as Andrea Mantegna. Also Mantegnesque are the garlands above the Virgin and Child, which mimic those in the Italian master's San Zeno Altarpiece (1456-1459; Verona, San Zeno). Van Leyden's Adoration of the Golden Calf (c. 1525; Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum) presents another moralizing theme of inappropriate conduct. Here, the Israelites engage in the vices of gluttony, intemperance, and luxuria. In the middle ground, Moses descends from the mountain with the law tablets, only to find the Israelites committing idolatry. The Healing of the Man of Jericho (1531; St. Petersburg, Hermitage) presents a more successful integration of figures within the landscape as they no longer seem overwhelmed by it. It depicts one of the miracles effected by Christ while on his way to Jerusalem, the drama enhanced by the emphatic gestures and poses of those who witness.

   Karel Van Mander wrote that at 35 van Leyden traveled by boat through the Netherlands and entertained fellow painter Jan Gossart and others. After the trip, van Leyden fell ill and, convinced that he had been poisoned, spent the last years of his life in bed, though he continued to work until his death in 1533. Van Leyden left 172 engravings, which facilitated the spread of his style through Europe and particularly Italy, where his influence was significant.