BLONDEEL, LANCELOT. - Painter, sculptor, architect, and engineer, b. at Poperinghe in 1496, d. at Bruges on 4 March 1561. It is almost certain that he was in Italy, where he studied and came under the influence of the works of Raffaello.
The Virgin in the painting with St. Luke as painter, signed and dated (1545, civic museum of Bruges), is in fact inspired by Sanzio’s Madonna di Foligno. Other important paintings by him are the triptych with stories of SS. Cosmas and Damian (1523, in S. Iacopo at Bruges), and a painting with episodes from the life of the Virgin (after 1550, cathedral of Tournai). An important Last Judgment by him has been lost. Of his activity as a sculptor, mention may be made of the model for a statue of the Virgin (1526) and of models for the statues of the new portico of the Franc at Bruges. As an engineer and architect, he took part in planning the canal intended to connect Bruges with the sea (1546).