Isaak Major
Isaak Major was an artist active during the late 16th century, with his documented creative period spanning the years 1576 to 1590. His known artistic output, as represented in major international museum collections, consists primarily of prints, though a single drawing is also recorded. Eight works by Major are currently held in prominent institutions.
Major specialized in landscape and topographical studies, focusing heavily on river views, bridges, and rural architecture. His works often capture detailed scenes of structures integrated into the natural environment, as seen in compositions like View of a Small House Built into a Rock, Gezicht op een brug over een rivier, and Landschap met een boom tussen een rivier en een weg. These surviving examples, which also include Rivier met rechts een kapel, characterize his contribution to 16th-century printmaking.
The preservation of Isaak Major prints establishes his lasting significance to the history of graphic arts. His verifiable works are housed in internationally recognized institutions, including the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The availability of these works in the public domain ensures they remain accessible for scholarly research and documentation. Today, high-quality prints derived from these museum-held assets circulate widely, supporting continued study of 16th-century European landscape art.
