Encyclopedia of the Renaissance and the Reformation

(Bozica Vekic) #1

by religious observance and good works. Justification by
faith alone thus came to define Protestant radicalism
against Catholic traditionalism.
See also: INDULGENCES; PREDESTINATION


Justus of Ghent (Joos van Wassenhove) (active 1460–
c. 1480) Flemish painter
Between 1473 and 1475 “Giusto da Guanto” is docu-
mented as the painter of the Communion of the Apostles al-
tarpiece in Urbino. He is identical with Joos van
Wassenhove, active at Antwerp in 1460 and recorded at
Ghent in 1464–69. A document of 1475 states that he was
an associate of Hugo van der GOESand that he had gone to
Rome. A handful of early pictures have been attributed to
Justus by comparison with his only documented work, the
Communion altarpiece. The most important of these is the
Mount Calvary triptych in St. Bavon, Ghent. Justus is usu-
ally identified with the anonymous painter of a group of
pictures in a Netherlandish style executed for the Urbino
court: these include 28 portraits of Famous Men and Fed-
erico da Montefeltro and his son Guidobaldo (c. 1473–76)
for the ducal study in Urbino, and four fragments from a
series of The Seven Liberal Arts and Federico da Montefeltro
Attending a Lecture (c. 1476–80) for a similar study in
Gubbio. The former group is divided between Paris and
Urbino; the latter between London, Windsor, and (prior to
destruction in 1945) Berlin.
Justus is the only 15th-century Flemish painter with
surviving works known to have been produced in Italy.
These reveal his increasing mastery in the handling of il-
lusionistic perspective and the representation of Italianate
subject matter. He is thus an important forerunner of the
assimilation of Italian ideas by northern artists during the
early 16th century.


JJuussttuuss ooff GGhheenntt 2 26655

Justus of GhentA portrait of St. Thomas Aquinas (1225–74)
from theFamous Menseries painted for the Urbino court in
1473–76. These are usually attributed to Justus, possibly
working with Pedro Berruguete. (Louvre, Paris).
Photo AKG London/Erich Lessing
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