Emotion, stillness, and melancholy. Phenomenally painted. But by whom? No one knows. In the exhibition Masterful Mystery – On Rembrandt’s Enigmatic Contemporary, you get to know this anonymous contemporary of Rembrandt: Master I.S. The intimate paintings are masterfully painted, full of detail and psychological depth. Museum De Lakenhal, together with Serlachius Museum Gösta in Finland, brings together paintings of Master I.S. from international and private collections for the first time. They are shown alongside works by contemporaries Rembrandt, Gerrit Dou, and Jan Lievens. Discover the mysterious story of a great artist whose name remained unknown. The exhibition will be on view from 11 October 2025 to 8 March 2026.

Master I.S., Portrait of an Old Woman, 1651
Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna

An elusive mystery

Who was the artist behind the initials I.S.? Although the paintings have been admired for centuries, we know almost nothing about the creator. The oeuvre of Master I.S. largely consists of tronies: raw, realistic faces, painted with almost hyper-realistic precision. It is precisely the melancholic gazes and imperfections that make his work poignant and unique. For the first time, a number of the most important works of Master I.S., from leading museums and private collections, are brought together. Many of these paintings have rarely or never been seen before. During the exhibition, works by Leiden contemporaries such as Rembrandt, Dou, and Lievens are also shown. Due to the strong stylistic similarities, it is plausible that Master I.S. came into contact with artists from Leiden.

International cooperation

In collaboration with Serlachius Museum Gösta in Finland, Museum De Lakenhal is trying to uncover 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.