The Enigmatic Master of the 1540s: A Portraitist of Antwerp The early decades of the sixteenth century witnessed a fascinating, yet somewhat elusive, figure in the world of Northern Renaissance portraiture – the “Master of the 1540s.” This artist, whose true identity remains shrouded in mystery despite decades of scholarly investigation, produced approximately thirty portraits between 1541 and 1551, primarily centered around Antwerp. While overshadowed by the towering figures of his contemporaries like Antonis Mor and Willem Key, the Master’s work possesses a quiet elegance, a subtle psycho…