Josse van der Baren

Josse van der Baren was born and died in Leuven. It is not clear with whom he trained. It is not known whether he visited Italy although his work is clearly influenced by Italian art. He was mainly active in the Leuven region and that is why most of his works are still found in that area. • Illustration — The Martyrdom of Saint Dorothea, central panel Van der Baren was an active participant in Leuven's rhetorician circles, which were responsible for the production of theatre performances. His brother held the leading position of the prince in the local chamber of rhetoric De Roos (The Rose). Josse van der Baren was a friend of Justus Lipsius (1547-1606), the eminent philologist and humanist who resided and taught in Leuven. Lipsius composed the epitath on the tombstone of the five-year-old son of van Baren who died in 1605.

• Illustration — The St Ivo Triptych, central panel Josse van der Baren mainly painted religious altarpieces on panel. His work is preserved in and near Leuven, including in Leuven's St Peter's Church, the Park Abbey in Heverlee and the St Laurentius Church in Veltem. At the time, many Flemish artists such as Michiel Coxie and Frans Floris painted in an Italianizing style and van der Baren's work was clearly influenced by this movement. His masterpiece is the Martyrdom of St. Sebastian (M - Museum Leuven). It was originally a triptych of which now only the central panel has been preserved. Other works by his hand are the Martyrdom of Saint Dorothea and the St Ivo Triptych both painted for Leuven's St. Peter's Church. The Martyrdom of Saint Dorothea was commissioned by the local chamber of rhetoric De Roos for its chapel in the St. Peter's Church in Leuven. Saint Dorothea was the patron saint of the chamber of rhetoric De Roos since roses play an important role in the saint's legend. The frontal view of the triptych depicts the martyrdom of Saint Dorothea in a style which is reminiscent of Michiel Coxie. The paintings on the reverse side of the triptych reveal the originality of van der Baren. The reverse side shows architectural frames with views of Leuven and cartouches with rose garlands. Two poems are painted in trompe-l'œil on illusionistic paper sheets. The St Ivo Triptych was commissioned by the law faculty of the Old University of Leuven. The central panel depicts Ivo of Kermartin as the advocate of the poor who gives alms. A badly damaged Mater Dolorosa painted in grisaille on the reverse side of a panel of the Virgin attributed to the Master of Flémalle (Städel Museum, Frankfurt am Main) has been attributed to van der Baren. The painting represents the grieving Mary with a sword through her heart.