Portrait of Jan Mandijn

Jan Mandijn Paintings: The 12 Most Famous, Through a Gallery's Eye

Updated November 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 12 works by Jan Mandijn in our catalogue

In short

To the gallery's eye, Jan Mandijn's most famous painting is Temptation of Saint Anthony (1550), whose original hangs in the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna. Landscape with the Legend of St Christopher and Saint Christopher (1530) complete the trio every eye recognises. Of the 12 works by Jan Mandijn in our catalog, the gallery presents the 12 most famous below, each original with its year, its museum and what makes it unique.

1500 – 1560, Haarlem Renaissance Most works: Kunsthistorisches Museum

The gallery's top 10 Jan Mandijn paintings

1
Temptation of Saint Anthony (1550) by Jan Mandijn

Temptation of Saint Anthony

1550 · Oil · Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna

The canvas unfolds as a dense, panoramic chaos. In the foreground, shadows cling to earthy browns and ochres, where the air feels heavy with the weight of the material world. From this darkness, a swarm of hybrid creatures emerges. They are grotesque assemblages of insects, reptiles, and birds, their bodies contorted into jagged silhouettes. These demons do not merely inhabit the space; they collide within it, creating a swirling, intricate…

2
Landscape with the Legend of St Christopher by Jan Mandijn

Landscape with the Legend of St Christopher

Oil On Panel · Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg

In a village corner, a man kneels upon the earth. He rests beside another figure who remains lost in the quiet study of a manuscript. Around them, the landscape breathes with the weight of the first half of the 16th century. Boats of various shapes drift near the water's edge, their surfaces catching the light. The scene is busy; figures sit, stand, and lie scattered through the settlement, moving amidst…

3
Saint Christopher (1530) by Jan Mandijn

Saint Christopher

1530 · Oil On Panel · Bavarian State Painting Collections, Munich

The painting titled Saint Christopher and the Christ Child is an oil on panel work created by the Dutch Renaissance painter Jan Mandijn. This specific piece is dated about 1550. The artist, Jan Mandijn, was a figure active in the Low Countries, specifically within the artistic center of Antwerp after 1530. His practice involved a style that reflects the visual language of the Northern Renaissance and Northern Mannerism.

4
The Temptation of Saint Anthony‎ (1530) by Jan Mandijn

The Temptation of Saint Anthony‎

1530 · Oil · National Museum in Warsaw, Warsaw

The Temptation of Saint Anthony‎ is an oil painting by Jan Mandijn. Created about 1530, the work captures a moment of profound spiritual struggle. It presents the biblical theme of demonic temptation through a lens of chaotic, otherworldly encounters. The canvas holds a world of shadow and light, where the soul meets the grotesque.

5
biblical szene (1540) by Jan Mandijn

biblical szene

1540 · Oil · Bonnefanten Museum, Maastricht

The scene unfolds within the quiet, heavy atmosphere of biblical szene, a work that captures a moment of profound stillness. This painting by Jan Mandijn invites us into a world where the weight of a sacred narrative rests upon the landscape itself. We find ourselves looking upon a landscape that feels both ancient and immediate, where the shadows of the trees seem to hold the secrets of the figures gathered…

6
The Temptation of Saint Anthony (1539) by Jan Mandijn

The Temptation of Saint Anthony

1539 · Oil On Panel · Noordbrabants Museum, 's-Hertogenbosch

The air in the painting feels thick with soot and the heat of a distant, burning village. In the background, orange flames lick a dark, smoky sky, casting a restless light over a landscape of turmoil. This is the spiritual battlefield of Saint Anthony, where the quiet of monastic life is shattered by a sudden, violent influx of the grotesque. Figures move through the shadows, caught in a frantic, jagged…

7
The Mocking of Job (1550) by Jan Mandijn

The Mocking of Job

1550 · Oil On Panel

The Mocking of Job by Jan Mandijn captures a moment of profound spiritual and physical trial. This biblical scene centers on the suffering of Job, a man besieged by cruelty and chaos. Around his distressed form, a multitude of figures gathers to enact their mockery. The narrative focuses on the intersection of human malice and divine testing, presenting a world where the sacred meets the grotesque.

9
Saint Christopher and the Christ Child (1550) by Jan Mandijn

Saint Christopher and the Christ Child

1550 · Oil On Panel · Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles

The oil on panel depicts a bearded man, Saint Christopher, navigating a landscape populated by grotesque and hybrid entities. He carries a small, pale infant, the Christ Child, upon his shoulder. The man's skin is weathered, and his facial features are rendered with heavy, textured brushwork. He moves through a terrain of dark browns and muted ochres, where the lighting is concentrated in high-contrast patches of chiaroscuro. Shadows are deep…

Jan Mandijn paintings, ranked 11 to 12

The subjects that held Jan Mandijn's eye

The four subjects that come back most often in these originals, each with its finest example.

The museums that keep Jan Mandijn's originals

The 8 museums that hold the most of the paintings on this page.

Museum City Works by Jan Mandijn Paintings from this list
Kunsthistorisches Museum, ViennaKunsthistorisches Museum Vienna 1 Temptation of Saint Anthony
Hermitage Museum, Saint PetersburgHermitage Museum Saint Petersburg 1 Landscape with the Legend of St Christopher
Bavarian State Painting Collections, MunichBavarian State Painting Collections Munich 1 Saint Christopher
National Museum in Warsaw, WarsawNational Museum in Warsaw Warsaw 1 The Temptation of Saint Anthony‎
Bonnefanten Museum, MaastrichtBonnefanten Museum Maastricht 1 biblical szene
Noordbrabants Museum, 's-HertogenboschNoordbrabants Museum 's-Hertogenbosch 1 The Temptation of Saint Anthony
Musée des Beaux-Arts de Valenciennes, ValenciennesMusée des Beaux-Arts de Valenciennes Valenciennes 1 The Temptation of Saint Anthony
Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los AngelesLos Angeles County Museum of Art Los Angeles 1 Saint Christopher and the Christ Child

Jan Mandijn, one signature painting per decade

Works per decade

Pick a decade to see the original that defines it.

Jan Mandijn's paintings: the gallery answers

Which Jan Mandijn painting is the most famous of all?Reveal the answer

Temptation of Saint Anthony (1550), Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna. Landscape with the Legend of St Christopher and Saint Christopher (1530) come next.

How old was Jan Mandijn on completing Temptation of Saint Anthony?Reveal the answer

50 years old: Temptation of Saint Anthony dates from 1550, and Jan Mandijn was born in 1500.

Which are Jan Mandijn's top 10 paintings?Reveal the answer

Temptation of Saint Anthony, Landscape with the Legend of St Christopher, Saint Christopher, The Temptation of Saint Anthony‎, biblical szene, The Temptation of Saint Anthony, The Mocking of Job, The Temptation of Saint Anthony, Saint Christopher and the Christ Child and Burlesque Feast. The ranking above gives each one's year and museum.

How many works did Jan Mandijn create?Reveal the answer

Our catalog holds 12 works by Jan Mandijn, dated from 1530 to 1550.

Where do Jan Mandijn's most famous originals hang?Reveal the answer

Mostly in Kunsthistorisches Museum (Vienna), Hermitage Museum (Saint Petersburg) and Bavarian State Painting Collections (Munich). The museum table above lists them all.

When did Jan Mandijn create the most famous paintings?Reveal the answer

In 1530s: 4 of the 12 works on this page were made then, Saint Christopher among them.

Which are Jan Mandijn's earliest and latest famous works?Reveal the answer

On this page, the earliest is Saint Christopher (1530) and the latest Temptation of Saint Anthony (1550).

Which subjects did Jan Mandijn return to most?Reveal the answer

Sky (6), Demons (4) and Figures (4), across the 12 works on this page.

Which medium did Jan Mandijn work in most?Reveal the answer

Oil On Panel, for 5 of the 12 works on this page.

Which movement is Jan Mandijn associated with?Reveal the answer

Renaissance, judging by the originals on this page.

Jan Mandijn: the artist

Jan Mandijn: A Dutch Renaissance Painter in Bosch's Shadow

  • Born: Haarlem, Netherlands (c. 1500)
  • Died: Antwerp (c. 1560)

Jan Mandijn, also known as Jan Mandyn, was a Dutch Renaissance painter who flourished in Antwerp after 1530. While his career remained somewhat overshadowed by the monumental figure of Hieronymus Bosch, Mandijn carved out a distinct niche within the artistic landscape of the Low Countries, influencing subsequent generations of painters.

Early Life and Training

Born around 1500 in Haarlem, Jan Mandijn received his initial training in his hometown. Details about his early education remain scarce, but it's evident that he developed a strong foundation in painting techniques during this period. Around 1530, he relocated to Antwerp, a burgeoning center of artistic activity and trade.

Artistic Style and Influences

  • Boschian Echoes: Mandijn’s style is most readily recognized by its striking resemblance to that of Hieronymus Bosch. Like Bosch, Mandijn populated his canvases with fantastical creatures and nightmarish landscapes.
  • Hybrid Demons: A hallmark of Mandijn's work is the depiction of hybrid demons—grotesque combinations of insects, amphibians, reptiles, and birds. These figures, while sharing a visual kinship with Bosch’s creations, often lack the harmonious color palette and compositional balance found in the earlier master’s paintings.
  • Antwerp "Devil Pictures": Mandijn is associated with a series of Antwerp “devil pictures,” including The Temptation of Saint Christopher, which showcases his ability to evoke a sense of unease and otherworldly horror.
  • Freer Style: While influenced by Bosch, Mandijn’s style exhibits a looser, more painterly quality. His brushwork is often less precise, contributing to a dynamic and somewhat chaotic visual effect.

Notable Works and Legacy

  • The Temptation of Saint Anthony: This painting, housed in the Frans Hals Museum in Haarlem, is Mandijn’s only signed work and stands as a prime example of his artistic skill. It depicts Saint Anthony besieged by demonic figures, showcasing his talent for creating detailed and fantastical scenes.
  • Teaching Influence: Mandijn's legacy extends beyond his own paintings; he served as a teacher to several notable artists, including Jan van der Elburcht, Gillis Mostaert, and Bartholomeus Spranger. The stylistic similarities observed in the works of these pupils suggest that Mandijn imparted valuable lessons in composition, color theory, and the depiction of fantastical subjects.
  • Historical Significance: Although overshadowed by Bosch, Mandijn’s contribution to Dutch Renaissance painting is significant. His unique blend of Boschian imagery with a more accessible style helped popularize fantastical themes among a wider audience.

Later Years and Death

Jan Mandijn continued to work in Antwerp until his death around 1560. While his oeuvre remains relatively small compared to other Renaissance masters, his influence on subsequent generations of artists is undeniable. His paintings continue to be studied by art historians and appreciated by enthusiasts for their imaginative depictions of the supernatural and their unique interpretation of Bosch’s legacy.