Painting ID:: 63883
Wing of a Carved Altar 1460-66 Oil on panel Church, Ambierle When Rogier died in Brussels on 18 June 1464, he was the best known and most sought after painter in the Netherlands, an exemplar to the majority of artists north of the Alps. He left behind him not only an obviously large workshop with extremely well trained assistants, but also a continuing demand for his work. The studio was very probably taken over by his son Pieter; it will have completed commissions on which he had embarked, also accepting new orders. One of these works, possibly commissioned in Rogier's own lifetime, consisted of the wing paintings for an altar in Ambierle in France, completed in 1466. It has been proved that the carved central shrine of this altar came from Brussels. The distinguished patrons in Brussels who commissioned it obviously turned to the town painter's famous workshop, where large and impressive paintings similar in typology to Rogier's own were produced, although certainly no longer by the master himself. The altar was donated by Michel de Chaugy, a counsellor of Philip the Good. The shrine in the retable shows carved scenes of the Passion; the donor's family, with its patron saints, occupies the wings. Stone figures of saints are depicted in niches on the exterior. In its construction, this work reflects the exterior of the Beaune Altarpiece.Artist:WEYDEN, Rogier van der Title: Wing of a Carved Altar Painted in 1401-1450 , Flemish - - painting : religious new21/WEYDEN, Rogier van der-657725.jpg
Painting ID:: 63887
The Last Judgment Polyptych 1446-52 Oil on wood Mus?e de l'H?tel Dieu, Beaune The detail shows Chancellor Nicolas Rolin, founder of the H?tel-Dieu in Beaune from one of the outer panels of the Last Judgment Polyptych. The donor of the Hospices de Beaune must have been an extremely powerful and wealthy man to finance such an undertaking. Nicolas Rolin spent nearly sixty of his eighty-one years in the service of the Dukes of Burgundy. For twenty years he was their legal advisor; he spent the remaining years as chancellor. A chancellor in the Middle Ages was a "superminister" combining the functions of Minister of Finance, Home and Foreign Affairs and others. It is not surprising that a capable and intelligent man holding so much power and with more than half a century in the favour of one master, should amass considerable wealth. And that master was no ordinary man. Philippe-le-Bon (Philip the Good), Duc de Bourgogne, Grand Duc d'Occident, could say without exaggeration that "I could be king if I so wished". He was a vassal of the King of France, but infinitely richer and more powerful than the unfortunate Charles VII. Through a series of judicious marriages and annexation of lands after victories, the Dukes of Burgundy, from the days of Jean-Sans-Peur (Fearless John), built up vast spheres of influence, a patchwork of regions and races extending around the Kingdom of France in a crescent from just north of Lyons to just south of Amiens and from there to northern modern Holland. Philippe-le-Bon entrusted the management of this vast domain to Nicolas Rolin. Certain chroniclers contend that his management was not entirely disinterested and that the magnificence of the Hospices directly reflects the degree of his remorse for his actions. Nevertheless, it has been recorded that, assailed by criticism and reproaches and accused of misappropriation of funds, Nicolas Rolin, in order to silence envious tongues, appeared before Philippe-le-Bon dressed in the humble robes of a lawyer with a list in his hand and offered to return all the gifts which the Duke had showered upon him. The Duke refused this offer and was pleased that there was still room on this list for further gifts! There was nothing to indicate that the Rolins, a modest family from Autun, were destined for such greatness. Nicolas needed unrelenting determination and persistence to successfully ascend the social ladder. As Councillor to Jean-Sans-Peur and, after 1422, Chancellor to Phillipe-le-Bon, Nicolas Rolin showed himself to be not only an able administrator but also a canny politician who succeeded in extricating the Duchy of Burgundy from an alliance with the English which became onerous after the glorious progression of Joan of Arc and the change in fortune of Charles VII. He was also one of the authors of the Treaty of Arras, the instrument which reconciled France and Burgundy and ended the Hundred Years' War. Nicolas Rolin's pride and authoritarian nature are clearly reflected in the first words of the charter creating the Hospices, "I wish and hereby order... I wish and hereby devise that... ". In 1443, desirous of helping Beaune, the city of his mother's birth, recover from the devastation of the Hundred Years' War, Nicolas Rolin decided to build a hospital, "ignoring all worldly concerns and in the interests of my salvation ". After the main outlines of his project were established, Rolin, enamoured of the richness of Flemish architecture, imported an artist - thought to have been Jean Wiscrere - from the "flat country" to construct the Hospices in the image of the H?pital Saint-Jacques in Valenciennes. The Chancellor had initially calculated that the work begun in 1443 would take five years. In fact, the building was not dedicated until December 31, 1451. Nicolas and his wife, Guigone de Salins, welcomed six nuns from Flanders the next day and the first patient was admitted several hours later. The last patient left the Hospices in 1971, 520 years later.Artist:WEYDEN, Rogier van der Title: The Last Judgment Polyptych (detail) Painted in 1401-1450 , Flemish - - painting : religious new21/WEYDEN, Rogier van der-497572.jpg
Painting ID:: 63888
The Last Judgment 1446-52 Oil on wood Mus?e de l'H?tel Dieu, Beaune At the far left-hand side of the polyptych, paradise is represented as a gothic porch ablaze with light, the door that leads to the divine dwelling place. On the other side, hell is strangely lacking in devils. Instead, it is merely represented by a pile of dark rocks spewing flames and volcanic vapours.Artist:WEYDEN, Rogier van der Title: The Last Judgment (detail) Painted in 1401-1450 , Flemish - - painting : religious new21/WEYDEN, Rogier van der-467925.jpg
Painting ID:: 63889
The Last Judgment 1446-52 Oil on wood Mus?e de l'H?tel Dieu, Beaune Above is a cloud of gold, on which are seated the apostles, judges in the celestial tribunal, as well as a pope, a bishop, a king, a monk and three women. Below them is the earth, from which the resurrected souls emerge, to go either to damnation or to eternal bliss.Artist:WEYDEN, Rogier van der Title: The Last Judgment (detail) Painted in 1401-1450 , Flemish - - painting : religious new21/WEYDEN, Rogier van der-776882.jpg
Painting ID:: 63890
The Last Judgment 1446-52 Oil on wood Mus?e de l'H?tel Dieu, Beaune The central panel is dominated by the son of God, seated on a semi-circular rainbow, with the Virgin Mary at one end of the arc and St John the Baptist at the other.Artist:WEYDEN, Rogier van der Title: The Last Judgment (detail) Painted in 1401-1450 , Flemish - - painting : religious new21/WEYDEN, Rogier van der-938987.jpg
Painting ID:: 63891
The Last Judgment 1446-52 Oil on wood Mus?e de l'H?tel Dieu, Beaune The detail shows the head of Mary.Artist:WEYDEN, Rogier van der Title: The Last Judgment (detail) Painted in 1401-1450 , Flemish - - painting : religious new21/WEYDEN, Rogier van der-269429.jpg
Painting ID:: 63892
The Last Judgment 1446-52 Oil on wood Mus?e de l'H?tel Dieu, Beaune The detail represents the elect.Artist:WEYDEN, Rogier van der Title: The Last Judgment (detail) Painted in 1401-1450 , Flemish - - painting : religious new21/WEYDEN, Rogier van der-423465.jpg
Painting ID:: 63893
The Last Judgment 1446-52 Oil on wood Mus?e de l'H?tel Dieu, Beaune The picture shows the upper panel to the left.Artist:WEYDEN, Rogier van der Title: The Last Judgment (detail) Painted in 1401-1450 , Flemish - - painting : religious new21/WEYDEN, Rogier van der-898476.jpg
Painting ID:: 63894
The Last Judgment 1446-52 Oil on wood Mus?e de l'H?tel Dieu, Beaune The central panel is dominated by the son of God, seated on a semi-circular rainbow, with the Virgin Mary at one end of the arc and St John the Baptist at the other. Christ's feet rest on a sphere, symbol of the universe. With his right hand, he blesses those who are saved and with his left curses those who are damned. These two gestures are emphasized by appropriate emblems, respectively, a lily and a blazing sword. Beneath Christ stands St Michael, prince of the heavenly hosts. He is pictured as young, because he is immortal and as handsome, because he is the embodiment of divine justice. He holds in his hands a scale in which he weighs souls. The souls are represented by two little naked figures, whose names are "Virtutes" and "Peccata". The former kneels, overcome with delight, while the latter seems horrified and screams with terror.Artist:WEYDEN, Rogier van der Title: The Last Judgment (detail) Painted in 1401-1450 , Flemish - - painting : religious new21/WEYDEN, Rogier van der-938386.jpg
Painting ID:: 63895
The Last Judgment 1446-52 Oil on wood Mus?e de l'H?tel Dieu, Beaune The central panel is dominated by the son of God, seated on a semi-circular rainbow.Artist:WEYDEN, Rogier van der Title: The Last Judgment (detail) Painted in 1401-1450 , Flemish - - painting : religious new21/WEYDEN, Rogier van der-679387.jpg
Painting ID:: 63896
The Last Judgment 1446-52 Oil on wood Mus?e de l'H?tel Dieu, Beaune St Michael holds in his hands a scale in which he weighs souls. The souls are represented by two little naked figures, whose names are "Virtutes" (this picture) and "Peccata". The former kneels, overcome with delight, while the latter seems horrified and screams with terror.Artist:WEYDEN, Rogier van der Title: The Last Judgment (detail) Painted in 1401-1450 , Flemish - - painting : religious new21/WEYDEN, Rogier van der-257877.jpg
Painting ID:: 63897
The Last Judgment 1446-52 Oil on wood Mus?e de l'H?tel Dieu, Beaune The picture shows a detail of the central panel. Four angels sound trumpets at the feet of Christ; they announce the Last Judgment and waken the dead. They surround the Archangel Michael, who, resplendent in his white robe scarlet cloak, impassively weighs the resurrected. The scale on his left sinks under the weight of the sins of one of the damned screaming in terror while in the other, one of the chosen seems to be expressing his thanks to the Archangel. One cannot fail to admire the delicate brushwork and colouring of the brooch holding the Archangel's cloak.Artist:WEYDEN, Rogier van der Title: The Last Judgment (detail) Painted in 1401-1450 , Flemish - - painting : religious new21/WEYDEN, Rogier van der-275929.jpg
Painting ID:: 63898
The Last Judgment 1446-52 Oil on wood Mus?e de l'H?tel Dieu, Beaune The picture shows the upper panel to the right.Artist:WEYDEN, Rogier van der Title: The Last Judgment (detail) Painted in 1401-1450 , Flemish - - painting : religious new21/WEYDEN, Rogier van der-979623.jpg
Painting ID:: 63899
The Last Judgment 1446-52 Oil on wood Mus?e de l'H?tel Dieu, Beaune The central panel is dominated by the son of God, seated on a semi-circular rainbow, with the Virgin Mary at one end of the arc and St John the Baptist at the other.Artist:WEYDEN, Rogier van der Title: The Last Judgment (detail) Painted in 1401-1450 , Flemish - - painting : religious new21/WEYDEN, Rogier van der-849852.jpg
Painting ID:: 63900
The Last Judgment 1446-52 Oil on wood Mus?e de l'H?tel Dieu, Beaune The picture shows a detail of the third panel from the right: group of the damned.Artist:WEYDEN, Rogier van der Title: The Last Judgment (detail) Painted in 1401-1450 , Flemish - - painting : religious new21/WEYDEN, Rogier van der-479649.jpg
Painting ID:: 63901
The Last Judgment 1446-52 Oil on wood Mus?e de l'H?tel Dieu, Beaune Above is a cloud of gold, on which are seated the apostles, judges in the celestial tribunal, as well as a pope, a bishop, a king, a monk and three women. Below them is the earth, from which the resurrected souls emerge, to go either to damnation or to eternal bliss. In line with traditional thinking, the dead have all risen at the age of 33, Christ's age when he died. The damned souls among them, crying out in despair, move of their own accord toward the fiery mouth of Hell. The limbs of the angular nude figures, still very Gothic in concept, create a complex interlocking pattern.Artist:WEYDEN, Rogier van der Title: The Last Judgment (detail) Painted in 1401-1450 , Flemish - - painting : religious new21/WEYDEN, Rogier van der-575533.jpg
Painting ID:: 63902
The Last Judgment 1446-52 Oil on wood Mus?e de l'H?tel Dieu, Beaune The detail shows a group of the damned. In Van der Weyden's time it was believed that lunatics were possessed by demons. Here, the figures of the damned are tortured and deformed by hatred and their faces distorted by madness. Gripped by a collective hysteria, they are unable to weep, but instead scream and fight, as their folly draws them on towards eternal punishment.Artist:WEYDEN, Rogier van der Title: The Last Judgment (detail) Painted in 1401-1450 , Flemish - - painting : religious new21/WEYDEN, Rogier van der-429542.jpg
Painting ID:: 63903
The Last Judgment 1446-52 Oil on wood Mus?e de l'H?tel Dieu, Beaune At the far left-hand side of the polyptych, paradise is represented as a gothic porch ablaze with light, the door that leads to the divine dwelling place. On the other side, hell is strangely lacking in devils. Instead, it is merely represented by a pile of dark rocks spewing flames and volcanic vapours.Artist:WEYDEN, Rogier van der Title: The Last Judgment (detail) Painted in 1401-1450 , Flemish - - painting : religious new21/WEYDEN, Rogier van der-992957.jpg
Painting ID:: 63904
Bladelin Triptych 1480 Oil on oak panel Staatliche Museen, Berlin The exteriors of the wings of the Bladelin Triptych were probably not painted at first; an unknown painter added the Annunciation later, using as a model an engraving by Master FVB, probably active in Bruges 1480-1500, who had been strongly influenced by Rogier van der Weyden.Artist:WEYDEN, Rogier van der Title: Bladelin Triptych (exterior) Painted in 1401-1450 , Flemish - - painting : religious new21/WEYDEN, Rogier van der-798724.jpg