Lancelot Blondeel

Who was Lancelot Blondeel?

Lancelot Blondeel, also Lanceloot, was a Flemish painter, architect, surveyor and cartographer.

Blondeel was born in Poperinge, but established himself as an artist at Bruges. He became a member of the painters' guild in 1519. He primarily painted commissioned religious themed works for local churches. In 1550 Blondeel and Jan van Scorel were commissioned to restore Jan van Eyck's celebrated Ghent Altarpiece. He founded in 1549 two triumphal arches, commissioned by Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, based on the Roman style. He also designed a canal that linked Bruges to the sea, a project that greatly promoted Bruges trade. It is known that he had a daughter named Anna, who later married his pupil Pieter Pourbus. Blondeel died in Bruges on March 4, 1561.