The Ugly Duchess is a satirical portrait painted by the Flemish artist Quentin Matsys around 1513.
The Ugly Duchess aka "A Grotesque old Woman", 1513 64.2 × 45.5 cm. National Gallery, London
Portrait of an Old Man, c. 1517. Musée Jacquemart-André, Paris
Detailed close-up of the ornamental brooch featured in Matsys's work, The Ugly Duchess. Shows the fine brushwork and layered colorwork.
Detailed close-up of the horned headdress in Matsys's work, The Ugly Duchess. Produced using the sgraffito method.
Quentin Matsys (1466–1530) was a Flemish painter in the Early Netherlandish tradition. He was born in Leuven. There is a tradition alleging that he was trained as an ironsmith before becoming a painter. Matsys was active in Antwerp for over 20 years, creating numerous works with religious roots and satirical tendencies. He is regarded as the founder of the Antwerp school of painting, which became the leading school of painting in Flanders in the 16th century. He introduced new techniques and motifs as well as moralising subjects without completely breaking with tradition.
Quentin Matsys, engraved by Johannes Wierix with Dominicus Lampsonius' poem about how Matsys' girlfriend preferred the quiet paintbrush to the heavy noise of hammering
Head of an Old Man
Detail of a c. 1500 Calendar Clock Face which shows the artist with his 'brothers' Joost the clockmaker and Jan
The Money Changer and His Wife (1514) Oil on panel, 71 × 68 cm Louvre Abu Dhabi
