active around 1525 -1550 · Southern Netherlands and probable Antwerp workshop

Absorbed young women, books, music and refined fabrics define the large anonymous workshop of female half-figures.

The Master of Half-Figures, or Master of Female Half-Figures, refers to an artist or a large workshop active in the Southern Netherlands during the second quarter of the 16th century. Its name comes from numerous young women represented in mid-body, alone or gathered around a book, an instrument or a table. The workshop was perhaps installed in Antwerp and maintained links with Joachim Patinir's environment, while sharing certain traits with Ambrosius Benson and Adriaen Isenbrant. Saint Madeleine reading, kept at the Louvre, is a characteristic model. The saint is not shown in spectacular penance: richly dressed, she reads with concentration in front of an interior or a meticulous landscape. Braided hairstyle, transparent shirt, velvet, fur, jewelry, book and perfume vase are described with remarkable finesse. The close framing transforms the sacred figure into an image of elegance and contemplation. Many paintings use these types, which suggests a workshop production organized for an international market. Some panels are of high quality, others more routine variants. The identity of the manager remains unknown, but the coherence of the faces, hands, fabrics and musical or literary subjects reveals an immediately recognizable visual mark. The "Master of half-figures" selection notably puts opposite Saint Madeleine reading. His reading favors color.

In the Master of Half-Figures, reading becomes a form of grace: the book, the hand and the fabric suspend the world around the young woman.