Hendrick van Cleve III

Hendrick and Marten then continued their studies and learned painting under the prominent history painter Frans Floris.

Hendrick and his two brothers registered in 1551 as free masters of the local Guild of Saint Luke.

Scholars do not yet understand why almost no works can be attributed to the artist for about 30 years until 1580s when he created a large number of signed and dated paintings and drawings.

His landscapes are in the Italianising style and typically depict wide views with ruins that may or may not be entirely imaginary.

All these elements were placed in a fantastic landscape where the horizon is invariably formed by some majestic mountains or a view over the sea.

The first series, Regionem, rurium, fundormumq [ue], varii atove [read: atque] amoeni prospectus was published in 1587.

Hendrik van Cleve is mentioned as the designer on each print and Philip Galle as the engraver.

The second series entitled Ruinarum varii prospectus, ruriumq [ue] aliquot delineationes is undated but was likely published around the same time as the first one.

[8] A favourite theme of various late 16th and early 17th century Flemish painters was the Tower of Babel.

This story was a rich source of subject matter for various late 16th and early 17th century Flemish painters.

The story of the Tower of Babel is in essence a reflection on human impiety and hubris, a moral message already implicit in both Bruegel's paintings.

[10] In the past many compositions depicting the Towers of Babel were attributed to Hendrick van Cleve III.

At the same time van Cleve shows inventiveness in both the depiction of the Tower and the city in the background.

Mannerism's interest in creating imaginary city panoramas is clearly present as well as ts fascination with the Arab world as is evident from the attire of the figures wearing turbans, the mosque and the symbol of the crescent moon.

Hendrick van Cleve distributes the other figures evenly throughout the foreground and often incorporates playful scenes.

These painters, who share other characteristics have been named "the Hendrick van Cleve III group".