MASTER OF THE FEMALE HALF-LENGTH FIGURES (Netherlands, active 1525-1550) Maria lactans. Oil on wood. 39.5 × 29 cm. Provenance: - Auction Fischer, Lucerne, 12 June 2002, lot 319. - Collection Dr Sylvia Legrain. The anonymous master of the female half-length figures, who was active in the southern Netherlands, perhaps also in Antwerp in the first half of the 16th century, was given his notational name by the art historian Max Friedländer (1867-1958). The name refers to the very specific work of the painter and his workshop, which is characterised by the depiction of elegant ladies in three-quarter view. The female figures are characterised by a recurring, heart-shaped face and a calm, gentle facial expression. Many of the works depict religious and mythological figures, such as the Madonna and Child reading here. The background is usually a restrained interior in which the ladies are engaged in various activities ranging from reading to playing various instruments. A very nice comparison of a depiction of Maria Lactans by the master can be found in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam (inv. no. SK-A-3130).