Michael Sittow

Michel Sittow (* 1469 in Tallinn; ? † 1525 or 1526 ) was an Estonian painter.

Life

Michel Sittow was the first of three children of cabinetmaker and painter Clawes van der Sittow († 1482 ) and his second wife, the Finland-Swedish merchant's daughter Margarethe Molner (or Mölnare ), was born. His father had come in 1454 from Mecklenburg for the marriage to his first wife to Tallinn and was assessor of the influential Tallinn Kanutigilde. Initially met Michel Sittow the artist profession from his father, from 1484 when Hans Memling in Bruges.

From 1492 to 1504 Michel Sittow worked at the court of the Castilian Queen Isabella I. He worked in Toledo, Avila, Barcelona, Madrid, Seville, Burgos, Granada and other Spanish cities. His way led him into the service of the governor of the Netherlands, the Burgundian Duke Philip I. Sittow found in Spanish texts as Melchior Aleman mention. To 1507, he painted the portrait of King probably of Henry VII

With the death of Philip I. 1506 Sittow lost its most important patron. In 1506 he returned for the death of his mother and inheritance disputes to Tallinn. He initially worked as a journeyman in 1507 and gave his official masterpiece in order to become a member of Kanutigilde.

1514 Michel Sittow received a call from Copenhagen, there to paint the portrait of the Danish King Christian II. 1515 he worked at various European courts, especially in the Southern Netherlands in the service of the Austrian regent Margaret and Spain.

In 1517 he finally came back to Tallinn. In 1518 he married the wealthy merchant's daughter Dorothie Allunsze. Their son Michel died in the 1530s. 1523 Sittow alderman was the Kanutigilde and joined in the same year of the Reformation. Probably just before Christmas 1525 Michel Sittow died of the plague in Tallinn. He was buried in St. Nicholas Church in Tallinn.

Appreciation

Michael Sittow was one of the most technically gifted painters of Europe at the beginning of the 16th century. About 30 of his works have survived. Especially his portraits and pictures of saints are the masterpieces of the time. He also created book miniatures and altarpieces. His paintings are always undated. A signature is missing.

Literary

Michel Sittow is the main character in Jaan Kross ' historical novel Neli monoloogi Püha Jüri asjus (1970; German Four Monologues Anno Domini 1506, 1974).