Updated November 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 72 works by Ambrosius Benson in our catalogue
In short
The Lamentation (1522) is the Ambrosius Benson painting that draws the most eyes; the original belongs to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. After it, the eye goes to Portrait of a donor before a landscape (1522) and Saint Dominic of Guzmán (1528). Among the 72 works of Ambrosius Benson in our catalog, these 69 are the most famous, each a unique original presented with its year, its museum and the reason it endures.
A heavy, horizontal stillness anchors the foreground. The body of Christ lies across the lower half of the frame, pale and luminous against the dark, rugged ground. Behind him, the vertical timber of a large wooden cross cuts through the composition, providing a rigid spine to the scene. Figures gather in a tight, pyramidal group, their grief pressing inward toward the center. Deep crimson, dark teal, and forest green saturate…
A man sits in the quiet gravity of devotion. His hands are pressed together, fingers interlaced in a gesture of silent plea. He wears a garment of deep, somber black, a shade that absorbs the light and anchors him to the foreground. The fabric falls in heavy, dark folds, absorbing the shadows that define his form. His face is illuminated by a soft, directional light, catching the subtle textures of…
This Renaissance portrait, dating to 1528, presents a solemn and highly detailed depiction of Saint Dominic of Guzmán. The composition is centered on the full-length figure of the saint, who is positioned slightly off-center against a vast, atmospheric landscape. He is dressed in a monastic habit of black and cream, holding a book and a palm branch. In the foreground, a dog carrying a torch is visible. The scene is…
Ambrosius Benson executed the Portrait of Anne Stafford around 1535. The sitter is Anne Stafford, Countess of Huntingdon, who occupied a significant position within the Tudor court. As the wife of George Hastings, the first Earl of Huntingdon, her status is reflected in the formal nature of the work. Her social standing is further evidenced by her service as a lady-in-waiting to two of Henry VIII’s queens: first Catherine of…
The air in the room feels heavy with the scent of roasted meats and spilled wine. A long table stretches across the composition, crowded with figures caught in a moment of communal celebration. Deep reds and golds anchor the scene, while the creamy whites of fine linen catch the directional light. Every fold of velvet and every crease in a sleeve is rendered with a sharp, precise clarity. The shadows…
The gaze of the subject in Portrait of a Woman meets the viewer from a moment frozen in time, captured by the hand of the South Netherlandish artist Ambrosius Benson. This portrait emerges from the Netherlands, carrying the quiet dignity of a woman caught in a moment of calm, dignified introspection. She exists within the frame as a singular presence, her features rendered with a precision that suggests a life…
A medium close-up portrait captures a man of high social standing, positioned slightly off-center against a sprawling landscape. He wears a dark doublet and a black hat, his sleeves rendered in deep reds that contrast against the naturalistic greens and blues of the distant scenery. A mantle of spotted fur rests upon his shoulders, its texture rendered with meticulous precision. The subject holds a small book, a gesture suggesting intellect…
The pale, luminous skin of Christ rests against a bright white shroud, a stark contrast to the heavy, dark drapery surrounding him. In this 1522 oil on wood panel, the body of the deceased is positioned diagonally, leading the eye through a dense gathering of mourners. The scene is thick with the presence of those left behind, their faces sculpted by a directional light that casts soft shadows across the…
The air within the scene feels heavy with a profound religious solemnity, as if the very atmosphere holds its breath. In this intimate moment, the light falls with a deliberate, directional force, illuminating the faces of the Virgin Mary, the Christ Child, and the kneeling Magi while leaving the surrounding world in deep, mysterious shadow. This use of light creates a sense of intense focus on the central interaction. The…
The room is crowded, a dense vertical arrangement of life unfolding in a quiet, interior space. In the center of this bustling activity, a newborn arrives, surrounded by attendants who move with a sense of communal devotion. The air feels heavy with the scent of clean linen and the warmth of a shared task. Deep blacks and vibrant reds anchor the composition, while creamy whites and soft flesh tones emerge…
Portrait of a man1534 · Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium
12
The Magdalen Reading1527 · Nationalmuseum
13
The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne1550 · Scottish National Gallery
14
Saint John the Baptist1522 · Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium
15
Sibylla Persica.1430
16
Man praying1520 · Art Gallery of South Australia
17
The Holy Family1512
18
Mary with Child1527 · Bavarian State Painting Collections
19
Hieronymus1524 · Museum Mayer van den Bergh
20
Madonna with Child at the Breast1520
21
The adoration of the Magi with donor1521 · Museum Catharijneconvent
22
The Nativity1527 · Yale University Art Gallery
23
Saint Mary Magdalen1530 · Royal Collection
24
Adoration of the Magi1530
25
Madonna1533 · Groeningemuseum
26
The Holy Family with St. John the Baptist1527 · Groeningemuseum
27
Deipara Virgo1530 · Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp
28
Triptych of Mary and child with Saints Andrew en Francis1521 · Kunstmuseum Basel
29
Madonna with child1520
30
Garden - party playing music1520
31
Caritas with three children1520 · Gemäldegalerie
32
Portrait of a Man1545 · Bavarian State Painting Collections
33
Portrait of "Vigoureux de Courtville edelman uit Brugge" on wood by Ambrosius Benson, ca. 15401540
34
The Concert after the Meal1545
35
Portrait of a Man1540 · Musée Des Beaux
36
The battle of Clavijo1537 · Museum Mayer van den Bergh
37
Portrait of a man holding a letter in his hand1535 · Gemäldegalerie
38
Gentleman Praying1525 · Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum
39
Portrait of a Man1520 · National Gallery of Canada
40
Musical company around a table in a garden1547 · Kunstmuseum Basel
41
Crucifixion1524 · Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium
42
Portrait of a Man Holding a Rose1525 · Philadelphia Museum of Art
43
The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne1550 · Museo del Prado
44
Young Woman in Orison Reading a Book of Hours1520 · The Louvre
45
Pietà1528 · Museo del Prado
46
The Persian Sibyl.1530 · National Museum in Warsaw
47
Mary Magdalene1530
48
Mary MagdaleneGroeninge Museum
49
Persian SybilNational Museum in Warsaw
50
The Magdalen ReadingNational Gallery of Ireland
51
MadonnaGroeningemuseum
52
Lamentation (Pietà and the Two Marys)Bowes Museum
53
Portrait of an Unknown Gentleman
54
The holy family
55
Virgin and Child with Saints1530 · The Louvre
56
Pietà at the Foot of the CrossMuseo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao
57
The Holy Family in a Landscape
58
Pity
59
The Virgin and ChildKunsthandel P. de Boer
60
The Rest on the Flight into Egypt
61
Virgin with the PearCathedral Museum
62
Woman PrayingKoninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten
63
Rest on the Flight into EgyptGroeninge Museum
64
Man with a Quill
65
The Virgin and ChildMuseum of Fine Arts
66
The Resurrection1530
67
Triptych of Descent by Ambrosius Benson1530
68
Santo Tomás y un donante1528 · Museo del Prado
69
The magdalen readingNational Gallery
The four subjects that come back most often in these originals, each with its finest example.
The 8 museums that hold the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by Ambrosius Benson | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 Museo del Prado |
Madrid | 5 | Saint Dominic of Guzmán, The Birth of the Virgin, The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne |
 Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium |
Brussels | 4 | Portrait of a donor before a landscape, Portrait of a man, Saint John the Baptist |
 Groeningemuseum |
Brugge | 3 | Madonna, The Holy Family with St. John the Baptist, Madonna |
 Nationalmuseum |
Stockholm | 2 | The Wedding in Cana, The Magdalen Reading |
 Bavarian State Painting Collections |
Munich | 2 | Mary with Child, Portrait of a Man |
 Museum Mayer van den Bergh |
Antwerp | 2 | Hieronymus, The battle of Clavijo |
 Kunstmuseum Basel |
Basel | 2 | Triptych of Mary and child with Saints Andrew en Francis, Musical company around a table in a garden |
 Gemäldegalerie |
Berlin | 2 | Caritas with three children, Portrait of a man holding a letter in his hand |
Pick a decade to see the original that defines it.
The painting depicts three figures arranged in a tight, centralized grouping against a dark, indeterminate background. The Virgin Mary, Saint Joseph, and the Christ Child occupy the immediate foreground, their forms defined by a strong use of chiaroscuro. Light falls from an unseen source, illuminating the pale skin of the infant and the faces of the adults, while the rest of the scene recedes into deep shadow. The lines of…
A heavy, horizontal stillness anchors the foreground. The body of Christ lies across the lower half of the frame, pale and luminous against the dark, rugged ground. Behind him, the vertical timber of a large wooden cross cuts through the composition, providing a rigid spine to the scene. Figures gather in a tight, pyramidal group, their grief pressing inward toward the center. Deep crimson, dark teal, and forest green saturate…
Ambrosius Benson executed the Portrait of Anne Stafford around 1535. The sitter is Anne Stafford, Countess of Huntingdon, who occupied a significant position within the Tudor court. As the wife of George Hastings, the first Earl of Huntingdon, her status is reflected in the formal nature of the work. Her social standing is further evidenced by her service as a lady-in-waiting to two of Henry VIII’s queens: first Catherine of…
The air in the room feels heavy with the scent of roasted meats and spilled wine. A long table stretches across the composition, crowded with figures caught in a moment of communal celebration. Deep reds and golds anchor the scene, while the creamy whites of fine linen catch the directional light. Every fold of velvet and every crease in a sleeve is rendered with a sharp, precise clarity. The shadows…
The pale, luminous skin of Christ rests against a bright white shroud, a stark contrast to the heavy, dark drapery surrounding him. In this 1522 oil on wood panel, the body of the deceased is positioned diagonally, leading the eye through a dense gathering of mourners. The scene is thick with the presence of those left behind, their faces sculpted by a directional light that casts soft shadows across the…
The Lamentation (1522), Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Portrait of a donor before a landscape (1522) and Saint Dominic of Guzmán (1528) come next.
27 years old: The Lamentation dates from 1522, and Ambrosius Benson was born in 1495.
The Lamentation, Portrait of a donor before a landscape, Saint Dominic of Guzmán, Portrait of Anne Stafford, The Wedding in Cana, Portrait of a Woman, Portrait of a Man Holding a Book, The Lamentation, Adoration of the Magi and The Birth of the Virgin. The ranking above gives each one's year and museum.
Our catalog holds 72 works by Ambrosius Benson, dated from 1512 to 1550.
Mostly in Museo del Prado (Madrid), Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium (Brussels) and Groeningemuseum (Brugge). The museum table above lists them all.
In 1520s: 26 of the 69 works on this page were made then, The Lamentation among them.
On this page, the earliest is The Holy Family (1512) and the latest The Lamentation (1550).
Woman (24), Man (22) and Landscape (16), across the 69 works on this page.
Oil On Panel, for 35 of the 69 works on this page.
Northern renaissance, judging by the originals on this page.
Saint Dominic of Guzmán, The Birth of the Virgin and The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne: the Museo del Prado, Madrid holds 5 of the works on this page.
