born August 1495, Schoorel, Habsburg Netherlands
died Dec. 6, 1562, Utrecht
Dutch humanist, architect, engineer, and painter.
He studied briefly with Jan Gossart , who encouraged him to travel. Five years of work and study in Europe eventually took him to Rome. Returning to Holland in 1524, he introduced such Italian Renaissance elements as nudes, Classical draperies and architecture, and spacious imaginary landscapes. His greatest works are his portraits, which show his gift for characterization. He successfully combined the idealism of Renaissance Italy with the naturalism of northern European art in his paintings, and he bequeathed the style to successive generations of Dutch artists.