Maria Faydherbe

Jo Exelmans

Maria Faydherbe (1587-ca.1633/1643) was one of Flanders’ first female sculptors. She obstinately stood up against prevailing customs and norms. You can discover her impressive body of work in her home city of Mechelen and at M Leuven.

A pioneering sculptor

The name Faydherbe is well-known, as the family played an important role in sculpture in Flanders. Lucas Faydherbe (1617-1697) was one of our best-known sculptors. A little further down that family tree, we stumble upon three other important names: the brothers Hendrik and Antoon and their sister Maria Faydherbe. Maria almost certainly received her training in the family’s studio in their home city of Mechelen. There, she paved the way for an artistic career that was entirely of her own making.

Collectie M Leuven, bron artinflanders.be, foto Cedric Verhelst

A woman in a male-dominated profession

At the time, the world of sculpture was a bastion of men, but Maria Faydherbe didn’t care. Full of self-confidence, she grew into a pioneer by becoming one of the first female sculptors in Flanders and stood up against the prevailing rules and customs. She regarded her mostly male colleagues as ‘piece workers’ – creating art on a conveyor belt to make quick money. Maria did things differently, however.

A break from the Baroque style

Maria Faydherbe developed an innovative style that was inspired by the Italian Baroque. Her sculptures portray meaningful facial expressions and fluid, streamlined movements. In that way, she provides a striking break in style from the somewhat stiff and forced representations that were the norm at that time. Maria was a leading exponent of her art as a woman, but also in terms of style. Full of self-confidence, she signed her works, sometimes with her full name, sometimes with a monogram. Sometimes, she signed them on the front, and sometimes hidden away at the back.

Maria Faydherbe - Crucifix - Hof van Busleyden

Art in Flanders

Maria Faydherbe in Flanders

This impressive sculptor is irrevocably linked to Mechelen, the city where she lived and worked all her life. You can still discover her artistic legacy there.

In the city palace Court of Busleyden, Crucifix is one of the masterpieces in the collection. You can also admire her Virgin and Child here.

The Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul in Mechelen is also the home of the marble statue Virgin and Child. This work is not signed by Faydherbe, but exhibits many of her stylistic features, which is the reason why it is attributed to her.

M Leuven turn, has a Virgin and Child on display in boxwood. It is currently travelling the world in an exhibition on women artists and will return to Leuven in June 2026.

Not at home? Don’t panic ...
You’re never far away ...

Flemish masterpieces enjoy worldwide fame. For that reason, certain masterpieces are sometimes sent out of the country to be included in exhibitions in well-known museums abroad. But even then, there is always a wealth of masterpieces to discover in Flanders: in our museums and cities and at our heritage sites. This was the place where the Flemish Masters lived and worked and where they found the inspiration for their masterpieces.