Jan van Scorel

Jan van Scorel was a Dutch painter born in Schoorl. He was apprenticed to painter Cornelis Willemsz of Haarlem. In 1512, he moved to Amsterdam to work at Jacob Cornelisz van Oostsanen’s studio. Van Scorel was one of the first Northern Netherlandish painters to visit Italy. His acquaintance with Italy and the work of Michelangelo and Rafael enabled him to play a key role in introducing Renaissance ideas to the Low Countries. Although he gave priority to his work as a cleric, Van Scorel was a prodigious artist, producing numerous portraits and works on religious themes. Around 1528, he had a studio in Haarlem, where Maarten van Heemskerck assisted him. Later, he returned to Utrecht, where he ran a flourishing studio producing monumental altarpieces.