Virtually nothing is known about the life of Joachim Patinir, or Patenier. He appears for the first time in 1515 in the books of the St Luke guild, which he joined as painter. Albrecht Dürer called Patinir a landscape artist and is said to have owned one of his paintings. In those days, the landscape was subordinate to the story, mainly biblical. Patinir turns that around, so that the landscape becomes the most important element. He often left the figures in his paintings to others in the studio. Patinir stood at the cradle of the Flemish landscape tradition.
Joachim Patinir
Dinant circa 1475/1480 - Antwerpen 1524
