Ambrosius Benson (c. 1495/1500, in Ferrara or Milan[a] – 1550, in Flanders) was an Italian painter who became a part of the Northern Renaissance. While many surviving paintings have been attributed, there is very little known of him from records, and he tended not to sign his work. He is believed to have produced mainly religious art, but also painted portraits on commission. He sometimes painted from classical sources, often setting the figures in a modern dress or a contemporary domestic setting.[b] In his lifetime, he was successful; he had a large workshop, his work was sold internationally, and he was especially popular in Spain.[1]
Benson became popular as a source for pastiche with 19th-century painters, who are sometimes known as the "followers of Benson". In particular, his many variations of the Magdalen and Sibilla Persica were further copied and became popular with contemporary buyers.[citation needed]
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