Book Series Pictura Nova, vol. 28

Willem and Adriaen Thomasz. Key

Fresh Perspectives on Their Oeuvres

Lien Vandenberghe, Gijs Key

  • Pages: approx. vi + 244 p.
  • Size:216 x 280 mm
  • Illustrations:1 b/w, 102 col.
  • Language(s):English
  • Publication Year:2026


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Repositioning Willem and Adriaen Thomasz. Key as leading artists in 16th century Antwerp, this publication gives insight on newly attributed works and an analysis of their artistic evolution.

BIO

Lien Vandenberghe is a PhD student in the Department of Art History, Musicology, and Theatre Studies at Ghent University. Her research focuses on painted and material interiors in the Southern Netherlands. In 2023, she co-authored Reflections: Views on the Collection Flemish Community with her supervisor, Prof. Dr. Koenraad Jonckheere. Her research has also contributed to exhibitions at the Museum of Fine Arts in Ghent and the Albertina in Vienna.

Koenraad Jonckheere is a professor of Northern Renaissance and Baroque Art at Ghent University. He studied History and Art History in Leuven and earned his PhD from the University of Amsterdam in 2005. His research focuses on the art markets of the 17th and 18th centuries, as well as 16th-century Antwerp history and portrait painting.

Gijsbrecht Key is an art lover and collector who has contributed to all monographs on the works of Willem and Adriaen Thomasz. Key, offering practical guidance and valuable insights.

Summary

Building on Koenraad Jonckheere’s seminal monographs from 2007 and 2011, this book offers fresh insights into the works of Willem and Adriaen Thomasz. Key, two prominent 16th-century painters. Through an examination of newly attributed pieces and an analysis of their artistic evolution, it further enhances our understanding of their thriving workshop, a pivotal force in Antwerp’s artistic scene.

The book explores the distinctive stylistic approaches of both artists, from Adriaen Thomasz. Key’s austere yet meticulous portraiture to Willem Key’s diverse body of historical and devotional works. Drawing on extensive provenance research and keen visual analysis.

Featuring around 80 artworks, this catalogue raisonné further positions Willem and Adriaen Thomasz. Key as key masters of their era. It serves as an invaluable resource for art historians, collectors, and enthusiasts of early modern art in the Low Countries.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Preface

Introduction

Explicatory Note

Addendum to the Oeuvre of Willem Key (1516–1568)
Catalogue of Autograph Paintings
- Portraits
- Historical and Devotional Artworks
Catalogue of Indeterminate Attributions
- Portraits
Catalogue of Dismissed Attributions
- Collections
- Art Trade

Addendum to the Oeuvre of Adriaen Thomasz. Key (c. 1545–c. 1589)
Catalogue of Autograph Paintings
- Portraits
- Historical and Devotional Artworks
- Preparatory Studies
Catalogue of Indeterminate Attributions
- Portraits
- Historical and Devotional Artworks
Catalogue of Dismissed Attributions
- Collections
- Art Trade

Notes
Bibliography
Photographic Acknowledgements
Indexes