Crispijn van den Broeck

1524 Mecheln – 1591 Antwerp

Crispijn van den Broeck, who distinguished himself as a painter, draughtsman, illustrator and engraver, is among the outstand­ing representatives of Flemish Mannerism. A student of Frans Floris in Antwerp, he was admitted to the local Guild of St. Luke in 1555. He travelled to Italy in 1559 and is known to have worked in Venice in 1566. After his return, Crispijn was active mainly in Antwerp and occasionally in Middelburg. He played a key role in the cultural and intellectual life of Ant­werp and moved in educated circles. The themes  he chose for his paintings – altar pictures and religious and mythological compositions – reflect the broad scope of his theological and humanist education. It is against this background that Crispijn’s symbiotic cooperation with the famous Antwerp publisher, Christopher Plantin, must be seen, for whom Crispijn produced many models for engravings.