According to legend, St Luke painted a portrait of the Madonna with the infant Jesus. Lucas therefore became the patron saint of artists. Van Heemskerck depicted St Luke painting the portrait just before he travelled to Rome in 1532. He gave the painting as a gift to the Haarlem branch of the Guild of St Luke, the professional association of artists of which he was himself a member, as is apparent from the note in the bottom left. If he were not to return from Italy, this painting would at least constitute a record of his artistic abilities.
Van Heemskerck painted this image in two parts, which hung by the altar of the Guild of St Luke in in Grote Kerk church, also known as St Bavokerk in Haarlem in Haarlem. Shorty after his death the two parts were joined. The painting later hung in the museum of the city of Haarlem and from 1913 in the Frans Hals Museum. The work was recently restored, and separated into its original two parts again.
The man over on the right guiding the painter’s hand symbolises ‘inspiration’. The face is a self-portrait of the artist, the message being that art is an intellectual pursuit, not merely handiwork.