[MR] Wikipedia: Virgin and Child Enthroned

[Garth Groff via Atlantia]

Noble Friends,

Yesterday Wikipedia's featured article discussed the VIRGIN AND CHILD 
ENTHRONED, a religious painting attributed to Rogier Van der Weyden: 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgin_and_Child_Enthroned . The image, 
thought to have originally been a companion to SAINT GEORGE AND THE 
DRAGON, is now in Madrid's Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza.

Van der Weyden ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rogier_van_der_Weyden ) 
was one of the most important painters of the 15th century Netherlandish 
School. He was one of several artists who painted for Philip the Good, 
Duke of Burgundy. Few of Van der Weyden's works can with certainty be 
attributed to him, since his papers were later lost in the 1695 French 
bombardment of Brussles. The famous portrait of Anthony, Bastard of 
Burgundy, is attributed to him: 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony,_bastard_of_Burgundy#/media/File:Antoine_de_Bourgogne.jpg 
(it was this painting which sparked my interest in the history of 
Burgundy). His is also thought to have painted PORTRAIT OF A LADY, 
believed by some historians to be one of Duke Philip's many illegitimate 
children: 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rogier_van_der_Weyden#/media/File:Rogier_van_der_Weyden_-_Portrait_of_a_Lady_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg 
.

Critics note that Van der Weyden was notorious for tweaking paintings to 
make them more pleasing to his sitters or their patrons. In PORTRAIT OF 
A LADY, the sitter's ear his been moved slightly to make her more 
attractive. The Bastard of Burgundy appears to have had his jawline 
enhanced to make him look more noble. The painting is quite a contrast 
to another portrait by Hans Hemling just a few years later shows a much 
less handsome man: 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony,_bastard_of_Burgundy#/media/File:Antoine_bastard_of_burgundy_memling.jpg 
.

Van der Weyden was not alone in making his subjects look more 
attractive. Henry VIII was said by some historians to have been furious 
with Hans Holbein the Younger for making his portrait of Anne of Cleves 
more attractive: 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_of_Cleves#/media/File:Anne_of_Cleves,_by_Hans_Holbein_the_Younger.jpg 
.

Yours Aye,


Mungo Napier, Who Certainly is Not an Art Critic