Pieter Ii Coecke Van Aelst Paintings

Pieter Coecke van Aelst, also known as Pieter Coecke van Aelst the Elder, was a Flemish painter, sculptor, architect, and designer of woodcuts, tapestries, and stained glass. Born in Aelst (now Aalst), Belgium in 1502, he was one of the leading artists in Antwerp after the death of his teacher, Bernard van Orley.

Coecke van Aelst was not only a talented artist but also a successful businessman, and he became the master of his own workshop at a young age. He was known to have traveled extensively, including to Italy, where he was profoundly influenced by the work of Italian Renaissance masters, a trip that would greatly affect his subsequent art.

Upon returning from Italy, Coecke began incorporating Italian Renaissance elements into his artwork, effectively becoming a key figure in bringing Renaissance ideas to Northern Europe. His work was characterized by a blend of the Northern Renaissance's attention to detail and the Italian Renaissance's principles of perspective and proportion.

Coecke van Aelst's work included religious compositions, designs for tapestries, and architectural drawings. He was also known for translating and publishing Italian architectural treatises into Flemish, which further promoted the spread of Renaissance styles in the Low Countries. His treatise on perspective was particularly influential. Coecke was married three times, his second wife being the artist Mayken Verhulst, who was known for her miniatures and manuscript illumination.

He died in Brussels in 1550, leaving behind a rich legacy of art and influence. Coecke's daughter, Mayken Pieters, continued his artistic tradition, as did his more famous son-in-law, Pieter Brueghel the Elder, who married Coecke's daughter Maria. His works can be found in various museums and collections across the world, and he remains an important figure in the history of Northern Renaissance art.