[MR] Wikipedia: Early Flemish Painters

[Garth Groff and Sally Sanford]

Noble Friends,

On this date in 1464 the painter Rogier van der Weyden died. He was the
last of the three great naturalist painters whose work established the
"Flemish school" and made the Low Countries one of Europe's great art
centers.

I've talked before about van der Weyden and his role as court painter to
the Duke of Burgundy Philip the Good (who ruled most of what is now
Luxembourg, Holland and Belguim, as well as a huge chunk of France).
Wikipedia has a biographical and critical article about van der Weyden at
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rogier_van_der_Weyden which bears reading.
Sadly, Rogier van der Weyden did not sign or date his paintings, and his
archives were destroyed during a French invasion of Belgium, so only a few
surviving paintings can be accurately attributed to him.

The earliest of the three greats was Jan van Eyck (1390-1441). He is best
known for *Virgin and Child with Canon van der Paele* which shows one of
the earliest examples of spectacles, the cryptic *Arnolfini Portrait* and
the amazing *Ghent Altarpiece* (a chief subject of the excellent but
somewhat fictionalized George Clooney film *The Monuments Men*; by all
means see the film, but read the book if you want the whole story). Van
Eyck did sign his paintings, so what survives of his work is well
documented. More about van Eyck is found at
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_van_Eyck .

Finally, there was Robert Campin (1375-1444). Campin was likely a student
of Van Eyck, and was also likely the teacher of Van der Weyden. Some
historians hotly dispute whether Campin or Van der Weyden painted some
works, and it is likely that some paintings were the work of both, as well
as lesser artists in Campin's workshop. Campin was an early experimenter
with oil-based paints, replacing egg-tempera and opening up a new pallet of
brilliant colors. His best works are not as well known as those of Van Eyck
or Van der Weyden, and no, he didn't sign his paintings either (Sigh!).
Here is more about Campin: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Campin .

For a general article on early Netherlandish painting, see
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_Netherlandish_painting

Really, see *The Monuments Men*. Yes, it is a modern war picture, but one
with a difference. It is by turns funny, touching, uplifting, of course
with some tragedy. And it concerns the recovery of several major art works
from our period that were looted by the Nazis.

Yours Aye,

Mungo Napier, Laird of Mallard Lodge  🦆