Master of the St. Lucy Legend

Flemish

Bruges cityscapes in Early Netherlandish art

Master of the Legend of Saint Lucy was an unidentified Early Netherlandish painter from Bruges. His name comes from an altarpiece in the church of Saint James in Bruges, dated 1480, depicting three scenes from the life of Saint Lucy. Since then, twenty-five to thirty-five paintings have been attributed to the same hand. He may have trained Spanish students at his studio in Bruges. Many of his paintings are characterized by views of the city of Bruges in the background, and can be dated according to the level of construction of its belfry. He may have trained with Dieric Bouts, and was certainly influenced by Hans Memling. He has been associated with the Bruges master Fransois vanden Pitte, active in Bruges between 1453 and 1456.