Mysterious faces full of emotion and melancholy. Phenomenally painted, but by whom? In the exhibition Meesterlijk Mysterie – Over Rembrandts raadselachtige tijdgenoot, Museum De Lakenhal brings the fascinating work of the unknown artist Master I.S. to life. Among contemporaries such as Rembrandt, Dou and Lievens, you will be drawn into a story full of unanswered questions.
Monogrammist I.S. (act. ca. 1630-60), An Old Woman, 1651
Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna
Who was the artist behind the initials I.S.? Although his paintings have been admired for centuries, we know almost nothing about their creator. Master I.S.’s oeuvre consists largely of tronies: ruggedly realistic faces painted with an almost hyper-realistic precision. It is the melancholy expressions and imperfections that make his work so poignant and unique. For the first time, all of Master I.S.’s known works from leading museums and private collections are brought together. Many of these paintings have rarely or never been seen before. The exhibition also includes works by his contemporaries in Leiden, such as Rembrandt, Dou and Lievens. Because of the strong stylistic similarities, it is likely that Master I.S. worked for a time in Leiden.
International collaboration
In collaboration with the Serlachius Museums in Finland, Museum De Lakenhal is trying to discover the identity of this mysterious master. The research is led by curator Janneke van Asperen (Museum De Lakenhal) and curator Dr. Tomi Moisio (Serlachius Museums), in collaboration with external experts from Radboud University and Museum Het Rembrandthuis. The research forms the basis for the exhibition and an accompanying publication. This important research is made possible in part by the patronage of Museum De Lakenhal.