Painting ID:: 63905
Braque Family Triptych 1450 Oil on oak panel, 41 x 68 cm (central panel), 41 x 34 cm (wings each) Mus?e du Louvre, Paris The armorial bearings on the back indicate that this portable triptych was the property of Jehan Braque and his wife Catherine de Brabant, of Tournai, who were married in about 1450-51. Jehan Braque died soon afterwards, in 1452; his young widow, who did not marry again till 1461, must have commissioned this triptych in his memory. The Braque Triptych ranks among Rogier van der Weyden's most celebrated works. It is a small-scale work of the kind that were set upon portable altars in the oratories of wealthy individuals. When closed, it shows the classical vanity theme, a skull and a cross. Open, it displays images of Christ in the centre, and to either side - the Virgin, St John the Evangelist, St John the Baptist and Mary Magdalene. They are represented against a landscape that is rendered down to the finest detail, with its rivers and mountains, grass and leaves so precisely drawn they could almost be counted and tiny figures visible in the distance in the streets of imaginary towns - a favourite motif of the Flemish masters. Pictures showing busts of Christ and the Virgin had existed earlier north of the Alps, but a sequence of several saints shown half length seems to derive from a type of altarpiece found in Italy from the 13th century onward. The innovation is to place them in front of a wide, coherent landscape relating to the figures themselves not realistically, but in context. It stands for the entire world ruled by Christ and to which He descended incarnate as man, as described at the beginning of the Gospel of St John: "And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us." If the dark exterior was a reminder of the inevitability of death, the wide, radiant interior with its saintly figures allowed the devout viewer to hope for salvation. Artistically, the triptych is very close to the Beaune Altarpiece. The head of the Virgin Mary, and in particular the head of Christ, are so like their counterparts in the picture of the Last Judgment that they must have been executed from the same cartoon (full-size design for a painting). It is not certain whether the work is entirely by Rogier's hand; the underdrawing reveals thin lines not at all typical of him, and perhaps done with a pen instead of Rogier's usual brush. There are also some differences in the artistic execution: the Virgin's face, for instance, looks waxen, and inflexible around the eyes by comparison with the wonderful, tenderly painted, and lifelike Mary Magdalene, which is among Rogier's finest works.Artist:WEYDEN, Rogier van der Title: Braque Family Triptych Painted in 1401-1450 , Flemish - - painting : religious new21/WEYDEN, Rogier van der-224788.jpg
Painting ID:: 63907
Bladelin Triptych 1445-50 Oil on oak panel, 91 x 40 cm Staatliche Museen, Berlin The scenes in the side panels depict the advent of the Son of God on earth being announced in miraculous visions to the Roman emperor Octavian (Augustus) and to the three Magi. The Christ Child receives the homage of both East and West, that is to say the whole world as displayed in the panorama of the open triptych: the West is symbolized by the Roman empire - which was regarded as the direct predecessor of the medieval Holy Roman Empire - the East by the Magi, and between them stands the Holy Land with Bethlehem, to the medieval mind the centre and navel of the world. The visions seen by these ruler are taken from a text popular at the time, but never previously illustrated in this - - the chapter on the Nativity in the Legenda Aurea (Golden Legend, a collection of tales of the saints written around 1270 by the Dominican monk Jacobus de Voragine (1228/29-1298). However, there were certain problems involved in illustrating it in realistic detail. It was particularly difficult to present Octavian's vision of the Madonna on an altar hovering in the sky, not borne up by angels or similar figures. Rogier solved this problem by seating the Virgin on an obviously heavy altar, so closely framed by the opening that she looks almost like a picture within the picture, providing an optical focus. The donor clearly wanted the text of the legend illustrated literally, and he must at first have asked for actual quotations too, although they were eventually omitted, to the benefit of the work as a whole: infrared photography shows that all the scenes originally contained scrolls to hold wording. The left-hand picture, for instance, was to quote the words miraculously heard by Octavian, according to the legend, on seeing the vision: Haec est ara coeli ("This is the altar of Heaven"). However, during the execution of the triptych it obviously became clear that the pictures would make their point even without any explanatory text, and the wording was overpainted. Such a decision cannot have been taken without the consent of the patron who commissioned the altarpiece, and perhaps it may have been made during a conversation between Rogier and his client when the latter visited the artist's studio.Artist:WEYDEN, Rogier van der Title: Bladelin Triptych (left wing) Painted in 1401-1450 , Flemish - - painting : religious new21/WEYDEN, Rogier van der-377823.jpg
Painting ID:: 63908
Braque Family Triptych 1450 Wood, 41 x 34 cm Mus?e du Louvre, Paris The picture shows the left wing of the Braque Family Triptych representing St John the Baptist. The lower frame of pictures (original frame) act as a kind of ledge in front of the figures, where John the Baptist can rest his boo. The words being spoken by the figures proceed from their mouths in curved scroll shapes, rather like the speech bubbles of modern strip cartoons. However, the text above the Magdalene, but not spoken by her, is written in a straight line.Artist:WEYDEN, Rogier van der Title: Braque Family Triptych (left wing) Painted in 1401-1450 , Flemish - - painting : religious new21/WEYDEN, Rogier van der-366989.jpg
Painting ID:: 63909
Braque Family Triptych 1450 Oil on oak panel Mus?e du Louvre, Paris This detail of the left panel shows the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan. John the Baptist's most significant act is shown in the broad Netherlandish landscape behind him. As he baptizes the Son of God, an angel holds Christ's garment. Several onlookers in contemporary urban clothing may be the people mentioned in the Gospels as wising to be baptized, though they have not yet undressed.Artist:WEYDEN, Rogier van der Title: Braque Family Triptych (detail) Painted in 1401-1450 , Flemish - - painting : religious new21/WEYDEN, Rogier van der-727757.jpg
Painting ID:: 63910
St Columba Altarpiece 1455 Oil on oak panel, 138 x 70 cm Alte Pinakothek, Munich The picture shows the Annunciation, the left panel of the altarpiece executed for the St Columba church in Cologne. The angel has entered Mary's chamber through a closed door and is speaking the words "Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee" in Latin, coming out of his mouth in gold lettering. With its tiled floor, stained-glass window, and the magnificent bed covered with extremely expensive gold brocade, the room is far from a humble dwelling, and seems more suited to a palace.Artist:WEYDEN, Rogier van der Title: St Columba Altarpiece (left panel) Painted in 1401-1450 , Flemish - - painting : religious new21/WEYDEN, Rogier van der-852779.jpg
Painting ID:: 63911
Crucifixion Triptych 1445 Oil on oak panel, 101 x 35 Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna The left wing represents Mary Magdalene. The very emotional motif of the Virgin Mary embracing the cross is seldom shown; this dramatic reaction is usually reserved for Mary Magdalene. The Magdalene, however, has assumed a different role here: she stands to the left, entirely withdrawn into herself, more a separate figure than a participant in the event depicted. Curiously, she appears as a matron of fairly advanced years, while Veronica, also isolated in the other wing of the altarpiece, looks more like a Magdalene.Artist:WEYDEN, Rogier van der Title: Crucifixion Triptych (left wing) Painted in 1401-1450 , Flemish - - painting : religious new21/WEYDEN, Rogier van der-625677.jpg
Painting ID:: 63912
St Luke Drawing a Portrait of the Madonna 1435 Oil and tempera on panel Museum of Fine Arts, Boston The evangelist (whose features resembles Rogier's) is shown making a silverpoint drawing of the Virgin Mary. His attentive gaze is concentrated on his model, indicating both his artistic purpose and also his veneration for the Mother of God. This detail shows some severe damage to the surface of the painting, of the kind suffered by many Early Netherlandish paintings over the centuries.Artist:WEYDEN, Rogier van der Title: St Luke Drawing a Portrait of the Madonna (detail) Painted in 1401-1450 , Flemish - - painting : religious new21/WEYDEN, Rogier van der-342952.jpg
Painting ID:: 63913
Miraflores Altarpiece 1440 Oil on oak panel, 71 x 43 cm Staatliche Museen, Berlin The left panel of the Miraflores Altarpiece depicts the Holy Family.Artist:WEYDEN, Rogier van der Title: Miraflores Altarpiece (left panel) Painted in 1401-1450 , Flemish - - painting : religious new21/WEYDEN, Rogier van der-664653.jpg
Painting ID:: 63914
Seven Sacraments 1445-50 Oil on oak panel, 119 x 63 cm Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten, Antwerp The left wing of the triptych represents the Baptism, the Confirmation and the Confession.Artist:WEYDEN, Rogier van der Title: Seven Sacraments (left wing) Painted in 1401-1450 , Flemish - - painting : religious new21/WEYDEN, Rogier van der-256386.jpg
Painting ID:: 63915
Seven Sacraments Altarpiece 1445-50 Oil on oak panel Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten, Antwerp The detail of the left panel shows the baptism, the confirmation and the confession (penance). The sacrament of confirmation can be administered only by a bishop and here it is being performed by the donor, Jean Chevrot himself. Several heads, obviously also portraits, were executed on small pieces of metallic foil or parchment, then stuck to the picture; they are, however, original. Possibly these portraits were done somewhere else, then sent to the Brussels workshop to be added to the altarpiece.Artist:WEYDEN, Rogier van der Title: Seven Sacraments Altarpiece (detail) Painted in 1401-1450 , Flemish - - painting : religious new21/WEYDEN, Rogier van der-384824.jpg
Painting ID:: 63916
The Madonna with Canon van der Paele 1436 Oil on wood, width of detail: 47 cm Groeninge Museum, Bruges The bald wrinkled head of the old canon is an impressive exercise in psychological analysis.Artist:EYCK, Jan van Title: The Madonna with Canon van der Paele (detail) Painted in 1401-1450 , Flemish - - painting : religious new21/EYCK, Jan van-949549.jpg
Painting ID:: 63917
The Madonna with Canon van der Paele 1436 Oil on wood, width of details: 7,5 cm (each) Groeninge Museum, Bruges The picture shows some architectural details of the painting. The reliefs and sculptures on the capitals in the background and on the Virgin's throne all allude to Christ's salvation of humanity. The depictions on the throne of Adam and Eve, Cain killing Abel, and Samson fighting the lion, together with the depiction on the capitals of Abraham sacrificing Isaac, create an Old Testament framework which allows the observer to reflect on the mercy of God, who sent his son, Christ the Redeemer, into the world. Redemption from sin (Cain killing his brother) is possible only through the power of faith (Samson overpowering the lion). The goodness and grace of God "at the moment of truth" (Abraham sacrificing Isaac) serves as proof of the redeeming power and presence of servants of God both celestial (St. George) and mortal (Canon van der Paele).Artist:EYCK, Jan van Title: The Madonna with Canon van der Paele (details) Painted in 1401-1450 , Flemish - - painting : religious new21/EYCK, Jan van-768756.jpg
Painting ID:: 63918
Bladelin Triptych 1445-50 Oil on oak panel, 91 x 89 cm Staatliche Museen, Berlin The centre of the triptych shows the Nativity of Christ. The donor wore clothes of a similar fashion to those occurring in Rogier's miniature in the Hainault Chronicle. Apart from the fact that the donor's coat is not made of costly brocade, it greatly resembles the one worn by the duke in the miniature. Unlike Philip, who as the highest-ranking person present keeps on his hat, the "chaperon," the donor in the triptych, kneeling before the Christ Child, has removed his, and wears it slung behind him on his back. The donor of the Middleburg Altarpiece is more closely integrated with the scene than in almost any other Early Netherlandish painting. In his position and attitude he takes the place, within the Nativity narrative, of a shepherd praying, a motif frequent in pictorial tradition. Even in Rogier's Crucifixion Triptych (Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna), the married couple who commissioned the work are much more obviously outside the events shown, because their attitude of prayer cannot be seen as part of the narrative. But the donor of the Middelburg Altarpiece too is present only in spirit, witnessing the incarnation of God in his meditations. In order to put sufficient distance between him and the Virgin, the artist has resorted to a device already found in the Deposition (Prado, Madrid): the contours of his figure come very close to other items in the pictorial area, but overlap them to a minimal extent. The donor's head comes short of the ruined wall confining the area containing the Virgin, his hands are close to the outline of her dress but do not quite touch it, and the outline of his coat runs past Mary's robe with only a very slight overlap. The man is kept within a vertical area of the painting (an effect reinforced by the black he wears), an area also containing the fine town with its worldly bustle that is his real environment, although here, of course, it represents Bethlehem. The gap in the little wall behind the donor on the right denotes the road he has taken away from everyday life in his piety, an idea also suggested by the end of his head-dress lying on the ground. A carefully calculated equilibrium is perceptible in the composition. There are three large figures on each panel - even the left-hand panel, where the emperor's two advisers at the back are in fact almost hidden by the one in front. The group around the Christ Child describes an upward-pointing triangle, balanced by a downward-pointing triangle created by the outline of the diagonally placed ruin and the two holes in the foreground, which are set on a slant. This surface pattern in the shape of a horizontal rhomboid, however, also creates depth, since the corner of the ruin projecting forward and the figures graduated in a sequence moving backward interlock spatially. But as usual, Rogier restricts the back part of the stage on which his main figures are set: the back wall of the ruin, the wall of Octavian's apartment, and the hill behind the Magi all act as visual barriers at about the same depth. The main purpose of the triangular composition, however, is to emphasize the Virgin Mary, particularly since she is placed approximately on the central axis of the picture. This position might seem natural, but is in fact unusual in depictions of the Nativity, where Mary is generally placed to one side, next to the Child. The dark wall also acts as a contrasting background and forms a kind of baldachin over Mary. This manner of depicting the Virgin was another of Rogier's successful ideas, imitated by many other artists.Artist:WEYDEN, Rogier van der Title: Bladelin Triptych (central panel) Painted in 1401-1450 , Flemish - - painting : religious new21/WEYDEN, Rogier van der-733429.jpg
Painting ID:: 63919
Pierre Bladelin Triptych 1445-50 Oil on wood Staatliche Museen, Berlin The picture shows a detail of the background of the central panel depicting the Nativity.Artist:WEYDEN, Rogier van der Title: Pierre Bladelin Triptych (detail) Painted in 1401-1450 , Flemish - - painting : religious new21/WEYDEN, Rogier van der-844436.jpg
Painting ID:: 63920
Pierre Bladelin Triptych 1445-50 Oil on wood Staatliche Museen, Berlin The picture shows a detail of the central panel depicting the Nativity.Artist:WEYDEN, Rogier van der Title: Pierre Bladelin Triptych (detail) Painted in 1401-1450 , Flemish - - painting : religious new21/WEYDEN, Rogier van der-224988.jpg
Painting ID:: 63921
Pierre Bladelin Triptych 1445-50 Oil on wood Staatliche Museen, Berlin The picture shows a detail of the background of the central panel depicting the Nativity.Artist:WEYDEN, Rogier van der Title: Pierre Bladelin Triptych (detail) Painted in 1401-1450 , Flemish - - painting : religious new21/WEYDEN, Rogier van der-324733.jpg
Painting ID:: 63922
Braque Family Triptych 1450 Wood, 41 x 68 cm Mus?e du Louvre, Paris The central panel shows Christ between the Virgin Mary and St John the Evangelist. The Christ is a superb figure. He is depicted as an unbending judge, from whom there radiates a dazzling, almost transparent light. He holds the globe of the earth in his left hand and raises two fingers of his right in blessing.Artist:WEYDEN, Rogier van der Title: Braque Family Triptych (central panel) Painted in 1401-1450 , Flemish - - painting : religious new21/WEYDEN, Rogier van der-337868.jpg
Painting ID:: 63923
St Columba Altarpiece 1455 Oil on oak panel, 138 x 153 cm Alte Pinakothek, Munich The picture shows the Adoration of the Magi, the central panel of the altarpiece executed for the St Columba church in Cologne. The composition of the central panel demonstrates a masterly balance between freedom and discipline. The Virgin and Child are shifted slightly to the left of the middle axis, which appears to run through the central pillar and down into the hat of the kneeling king. In fact, however, even these two details lie slightly left of centre. This left-hand bias is compensated by the figures of the second kneeling king and the third, youngest king, visually strongly accented by his expansively angled pose. The asymmetrical ruins of the stable correspond precisely to the composition of the main group. Insofar as Rogier arranges his figures from left to right in the style of a relief and orients his architecture parallel to the pictorial plane, he remains true to the principles underlying his Descent from the Cross. Here, however, he displays a more sovereign mastery of the organic structuring of the human figure and the partial creation of spatial depth. The anachronistic little crucifix at the centre of the picture anticipates the purpose of Christ's life on earth, His act of redemption. The donor, with a rosary, kneels on the extreme left, divided from the rest of the scene by a small wall.Artist:WEYDEN, Rogier van der Title: St Columba Altarpiece (central panel) Painted in 1401-1450 , Flemish - - painting : religious new21/WEYDEN, Rogier van der-564275.jpg
Painting ID:: 63924
St Columba Altarpiece 1455 Oil on oak panel Alte Pinakothek, Munich The picture shows the red-robed St Joseph from the scene of the Adoration of the Magi.Artist:WEYDEN, Rogier van der Title: St Columba Altarpiece (detail) Painted in 1401-1450 , Flemish - - painting : religious new21/WEYDEN, Rogier van der-925725.jpg