The holy virgin lies on her bed, surrounded by men who pray, read, whisper. A room with a wooden floor, a window letting in soft light, faces turned inward. It is a quiet moment where nothing spectacular seems to happen, yet The Deathbed of Mary immediately takes you back to the 16th century.
In the late Middle Ages and early Renaissance, it was not uncommon for artists to remain anonymous. Due to lack of biographical data, signatures, or archival documents, these unknown painters were often later given a ‘notname’ by art historians. Usually connected to their most characteristic work or the place where that work was preserved for centuries.
Master with Many Names
This is exactly the case with the Master of the Amsterdam Deathbed of Mary. His ‘notname’ is derived from the deathbed panel of the same name. He is believed to have worked around 1500, presumably in or near Amsterdam or Utrecht. Sometimes he is also called Master of the Hofje of the Seven Electors, after the institution that later sold the painting. And Master with the Lantern, Master with the Large Lantern, and Master of the Death of Mary in Amsterdam.
Multiple Paintings
The Master is anonymous, but he exists. His identity is unknown, but not his style. His oeuvre can be recognized by brushwork, figure treatment, composition, and color palette. The Deathbed of Mary shows similarities with other paintings attributed to the Master, such as The Last Supper and The Resurrection (of Christ), both painted around 1505 and kept in Amsterdam.
Flemish Primitives
The Master is counted among the Flemish Primitives, a group of painters from the 15th and early 16th centuries who formed the transition between medieval symbolism and a new kind of realism. They came from all parts of the Netherlands but mainly settled in the south, around Bruges, Brussels, Ghent, and Leuven. At that time, the economic and political power of the Netherlands was located there.
Recognizable
Their work is recognizable by precisely painted faces with subdued emotions, and realistic interiors, often sober but full of small details. Also notable is the attention to fabric and material and the calm, balanced compositions with much emphasis on human interaction. Oil paint replaced gold leaf and expensive ingredients in many cases, and they made subtler, more realistic representations.
Predecessor Van Oostsanen
The Deathbed of Mary fits perfectly into this. No glitter, but realism. No distant holiness, but humanity. Art historians even see in the work of the Master of the Amsterdam Deathbed of Mary a predecessor of the style of Jacob Cornelisz. van Oostsanen (also known as Jacob War), one of the most important Amsterdam painters of that time.
Deathbed of Mary
What immediately stands out in The Deathbed of Mary is the decor. No Gothic splendor or golden background, but a Dutch interior. Unlike medieval icons or majestic altarpieces, this panel shows a wooden floor, simple bed, a window letting in diffuse light. The holy event takes place in the sober room of an Amsterdammer around 1500. Human emotions and closeness.
Close to Home
The 12 disciples around Mary in a homely setting suggest that this painting was intended for private devotion, not for a church altar. The panel offered comfort, a moment of reflection, an intimate confrontation with dying and faith, close to home. This was not uncommon in the late Middle Ages. Devotional art was often used for private prayer and personal meditation.
Humanity
On the panel, John leans toward Mary, while Peter holds an aspergillum and others read from thick books, probably Bibles. Their faces are sober and attentive, sad without being dramatic, restrained without becoming distant. The master chooses not religious exaltation but humanity. Because of that choice, the panel gains an almost documentary quality. As if the painter wanted to show what dying looks like when the holy suddenly comes very close.
Master Without a Name
The panel connects medieval devotion with a new way of seeing. The painting is calmer, more realistic, more personal. And that is the power of the ‘nameless’ painter. A master without a name, but not without a voice.
The Collection
The collection of the Rijksmuseum consists of more than a million artworks, publications, and visitor stories. You can admire the collection not only in the museum but also online. In the series The Collection, we pick an Amsterdam painting, print, or drawing from the Rijksmuseum collection each time and provide context. This time The Deathbed of Mary by the Master of the Amsterdam Deathbed of Mary.
Image: Rijksmuseum
