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Matthys Cock (painter) Netherlandish, c. 1509 - 1548 Antwerp 16th Century (painter) The Martyrdom of Saint Catherine, c. 1540 oil on plywood transferred from panel Overall: 62.2 x 118.2 cm (24 1/2 x 46 9/16 in.) framed: 86.3 x 141.6 x 8.2 cm (34 x 55 3/4 x 3 1/4 in.) Samuel H. Kress Collection 1952.2.18 |
Object 5 of 7
As Europeans came to understand the world through printed maps and geographies, landscape emerged as a popular subject. The Italian artist and biographer Giorgio Vasari noted that “there is no cobbler’s house without its landscape because one becomes attracted by their pleasant view and the working of depth.” Here the torture of Saint Catherine is overwhelmed by the scenery in a way typical of the panoramic “world landscapes” painted by northern artists. Perspective and point of view are manipulated to provide the most information possible: this is a God’s-eye view that sees everything simultaneously. Varied terrain and captivating detail compel the viewer to travel across the picture with his eyes.
This painting may be the work of Matthys Cock, whose brother Hieronymus was a well-known publisher of prints, including many by Pieter Bruegel. Notice the distinctive mountain crags here and similar ones in other landscapes nearby painted by followers of Bruegel and Joachim Patinir. It was Patinir who introduced the world landscape, and these rock formations are found in the Dinant region of southern Belgium, his birthplace. Perhaps Patinir’s landscape tradition was transmitted through Bruegel’s familiarity with the works of Matthys Cock.
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