Elisabeth Scepens

Elisabeth Scepens (also Elizabeth Scepens; fl. 1476) was a Flemish bookmaker and artist.

Elisabeth Scepens lived in Bruges, Flanders, in the late 15th century.^[1] Alongside Adrien Raet,^[2] she is one of two pupils known to have studied under the illuminator Willem Vrelant.^[3] Vrelant taught manuscript illustration and book production in Bruges, and archives of the studio list Scepens as one of his students in 1476.^[4] Following his death in 1481, his widow inherited his workshop. Together with Scepens, Madame Vrelant ran the prolific studio, which produced portrait miniatures, calligraphy and capital letter decoration for manuscripts.^[1]

In 1476, Scepens gained membership in the St. John the Evangelist Guild for scribes, illuminators and bookbinders. Her membership was renewed annually until 1489.^[1] While it is possible that works attributed to Vrelant or his followers were actually by Scepens, no works of hers are known.^[5] Scepens was part of the Northern Renaissance, and along with Margaret van Eyck, is one of the few known 15th-century Flemish women artists.^[4]