Bartholom?us Bruyn

(b Wesel or Cologne, 1493; d Cologne 1555). He was the leading portrait painter in Cologne in the 16th century. His birth date is known from Friedrich Hagenauer's portrait medallion of 1539, inscribed BARTHOLOMAUS BRUYN PICTOR COLONIENSIS ANNO AETATIS XLVI. His earliest documented altarpiece, the Coronation of the Virgin (1515-16; German priv. col.), was painted for Dr Peter von Clapis, law professor of the University of Cologne, and his wife. On 20 December 1525 he acknowledged receipt of payment for his paintings for the high altar of Essen Cathedral, a commission received in 1522 (of the two pairs of wings one is extant: it has eight panels showing scenes from the Life of Christ). On 22 April 1529 he contracted to do a cycle of paintings for the new high altar of St Victor at Xanten, with the Lives of SS Victor and Helena and scenes from the Life of Christ: he completed the work in 1534. Bruyn received a commission in 1541 to clean Jan Joest's altarpiece at Werden. In 1547 he began a major commission of scenes from the New Testament (all destr., except Temptation of Christ; Bonn, Rhein. Landesmus.) for the cloister of Cologne's Karmelitenkloster, which he completed with the assistance of his sons Arnt Bruyn and (2) Bartholom?us Bruyn (ii); he later painted altarpieces (in situ) for the churches of St Andrew and St Severin in Cologne.

Part of the Bruyn family

See the Abbreviations for further details.