Master I.S. – The Enigmatic Contemporary of Rembrandt
Serlachius Museum, Mänttä
Through 17 August 2025
Portrait of an Old Woman, 1651
Oil on panel, 41 x 33 cm
Kunsthistorisches Museum Wienna
Photo: © KHMMuseumsverband
Young Scholar Half-naked, 1638
Oil on panel, 54 x 40 cm
Private collection
Photo: David Bassenge
Old Woman Reading a Letter, 1658
Oil on panel, 50 x 35 cm
Nationalmuseum Stockholm
Photo: Nationalmuseum, Anna Danielsson
Who was the mysterious artist who signed their works in the 17th century with the monogram I.S.? The research project and exion, hibition by Serlachius and the Dutch Museum De Lakenhal present, for the first time, the works of this contemporary of Rembrandt.
The artist who signed their works with the monogram I.S. is believed to have resided in the city of Leiden in the Netherlands during the 1620s and 1630s. Their works show significant influences from renowned Dutch artists Jan Lievens and Rembrandt, who lived and worked in the city c. 1625–1630/31.
Old Man, c. 1625/1626
Oil on panel, 53,5 x 47,2 cm
Kunsthistorisches Museum Wienna
Photo: © KHMMuseumsverband
Self-portrait of the Painter in His Studio, c. 1632
Oil on panel, 60,5 x 44 cm
Museum De Lakenhal, Leiden,
Purchased with the support of the
Vereniging van Belangstellenden in Museum De Lakenhal,
support from the Vereniging Rembrandt
and a private donation
Photo: Museum De Lakenhal
The new research project has explored the artist’s works and identity more extensively than ever before. The research began with the Serlachius Seminar held in spring 2022, the topics of which included the Fine Arts Foundation’s old European art.
With the international research project, c. 25 paintings have been identified that are known or believed to be created by Master I.S. Some of the works have disappeared and are known only from black-and-white photographs. The exhibition is the first in which a significant part of the artist’s work has been gathered in one place. After Serlachius, the exhibition will continue in October at Museum De Lakenhal in Leiden.
The Serlachius exhibition includes eighteen paintings from various collections across Europe and from Canada. Fourteen of these are attributed to Master I.S. Additionally, the exhibition features four other paintings that provide a basis for comparison of the works. These works are by Jan Lievens, Gerrit Dou, and David Bailly.
The exhibition is curated by Tomi Moisio, Curator at Serlachius Museums. The Leiden exhibition is curated by Janneke van Asperen, Curator of Old Masters at Museum De Lakenhal.
Old Man with a Fur Hat, 1640s
Oil on canvas, 42 x 35,5 cm
Gösta Serlachius Fine Arts Foundation.
Photo: The Finnish National Gallery, Yehia Eweis
Old Woman in Three-Quarter Profile, 1640–1645
Oil on panel, 47 x 38 cm
Private collection
Photo: Eva Steentjes
The artist’s identity remains a mystery
The Serlachius collection includes a work purchased from London in 1937, Old Man in a Fur Hat (1640s), previously attributed to Jan Lievens (1607–1674). The research project has strengthened the notion that the creator might be Master I.S.
The artist often depicts elderly people in great detail and without embellishment. The models are characterised by a melancholic, sideways gaze. Their works feature costumes, details, and interiors that suggest Eastern European or Scandinavian origins.
“Perhaps they are from that region and came to study in Leiden, for example. Alternatively, they may have travelled in Eastern or Northern Europe”, says Tomi Moisio.
So far, the identity of the artist who signed their works with the pseudonym I.S. has not been discovered. Research continues, and the interest of international art historians has brought new information about their works. At the same time, their value has increased.
The exhibition is accompanied by a publication in which experts in the field explore the mystery of Master I.S. and make comparative research on artist-contemporaries. The articles in the book have been written by curators Tomi Moisio and Janneke van Asperen, as well as the distinguished specialists on old Dutch and Flemish art, professors Volker Manuth and Marieke de Winkel.
The research group has also included David de Witt, the Chief Curator at Rembrandthuis in Amsterdam. The book is published in English, as it is expected to be of great interest to the international academic community.
SERLACHIUS MUSEUM
Serlachius Manor, Joenniementie 47, Mäntä
Master I.S. – The Enigmatic Contemporary of Rembrandt
Serlachius Museum, Mänttä, Finland, 12 April - 17 August 2025
