(Mechelen active circa 1538–1544)
Madonna and Child with the Infant Saint John the Baptist and angels,
oil on panel, 123 x 99 cm, framed

We are grateful to Luuk Pijl for suggesting the attribution. A written certificate accompanies the present painting.

The present painting is a free interpretation of Andrea del Sarto’s lost Madonna Corsini of which there is a good version in the collection of Lord Egremont at Petworth House, West Sussex. Vincent Sellaer was a Flemish painter active between the fourth and fifth decade of the sixteenth century in Malines. What is most original and often-commented on in Sellaer’s work is his combination of Northern and Italian sources. Sellaer probably travelled to Italy, where he may have collaborated with Moretto da Brescia (circa 1492–1554), and thus would have been exposed to Italian painting. The specific influence of Leonardo da Vinci on Sellaer has often been highlighted by scholars. The monumentality of figures, particularly in that of the Virgin, clearly derives from Lombard painting of the period, and the subtle but sophisticated use of glance and the upward gesture of the infant’s right-hand are quintessentially Leonardesque. In addition to Leonardo, two other Italian artists who influenced Sellaer’s art are Andrea del Sarto (1486–1531) and Giampietrino (active 1495–1549). Del Sarto’s Virgin and Child with St. Elizabeth, the Infant St. John and two angels demonstrate a similar monumentality in the figures and a comparable rendering of thick, heavy, colourful drapery, which can also be seen in the present painting. Other influences on Sellaer that have been cited by scholars include Northern artists who also have a strong Italian current running through their work, such as Joos van Cleve (circa 1480/90–1540/41), and his circle.

Sellaer’s biography is, unfortunately, far from clear. The sixteenth century biographer of Netherlandish artists, Karel van Mander (1548–1606) refers to a painter in Malines named Vincent Geldersman, who was noted for his depictions of both religious and mythological women, which proved extremely popular. Contemporary documents confirm the identification of Geldersman with Sellaer, but it is possible that two or even three generations of painters bore that name. Nevertheless, scholars have determined that Sellaer seems to have been the foremost painter in Malines, and his patrons probably belonged to the court and the city’s Great Council. He occupies a unique place in Netherlandish art of this period, as the monumentality of form which he achieved was almost unprecedented. His ability to seamlessly fuse both Northern and Italian sources was the key to his success.