Lucas Van Leyden (Dutch, 1494-1533)
Van Leyden was an artist of many mediums, including paintings and stained-glass, but the work that has made him one of the most celebrated Dutch artists of the Northern Renaissance is his woodcuts and engravings. While little is known of his early life, it is clear that Van Leyden became one of the more prosperous and well-known figures in the city of Leiden. His friendships with fellow artists Albrecht Dürer and Jan Gossaert served as key sources of inspiration for the later part of his career. He was a particularly prolific artist, with about 200 surviving works today, the vast majority of which are prints with intricate and naturalistic landscapes and figures. Many of Van Leyden’s works have been imitated by later artists for their keen attention to detail and mastery of form, and Leonard Baskin as a printmaker would have most likely looked up to the legacy set by the old master.
