The Master of 1518 is a Flemish painter belonging to the stylistic school of Antwerp Mannerism

Antwerp Mannerism

Antwerp Mannerism is the name given to the style of a largely anonymous group of painters from Antwerp in the beginning of the 16th century. The style bore no direct relation to Renaissance or Italian Mannerism, but the name suggests a peculiarity that was a reaction to the "classic" style of the...

. A group of unsigned paintings is attributed to this artist on stylistic grounds, and his name is derived from the date inscribed on the painted wings of a carved wooden altarpiece of the Life of the Virgin in St. Mary's Church in Lübeck German

St. Mary's Church, Lübeck

The Lutheran Marienkirche in Lübeck was constructed between 1250 and 1350. For many years it has been a symbol of the power and prosperity of the old Hanseatic city, and as Germany's third largest church it remains the tallest building of the old part of Lübeck. It is larger than Lübeck Cathedral...

. Although this artist’s identity is not known with certainty, some scholars believe that the Master of 1518 was either Jan Mertens the Younger

Jan Mertens the Younger

Jan Mertens the Younger was a South Netherlandish painter. He was born in Antwerp about and died in the same city about 1527. His father was the sculptor Jan Mertens the Elder, whose family is thought to have originated in Tournai. Mertens the Younger was apprenticed to the painter Jan Gossart...

 or Jan van Dornicke

Jan van Dornicke

Jan van Dornicke was a South Netherlandish painter who was born about 1470 and died about 1527. His first name is sometimes spelled “Janssone”, and his last name is sometimes spelled “van Doornik” or “van Dornick”. He was active in Antwerp from about 1509 to about 1525. His paintings are...

, or that all three were the same person. His paintings are primarily crowded depictions of religious scenes combining Gothic and Renaissance styles. He frequently incorporated elaborate clothing and architectural ruins.