NAIL - Netherlandish Art In London

On this page we will “seasonally” ( i.e. about four times a year) draw visitors’ attention to a particular treasure of the period to be seen in London.

Winter 2009

The “Seilern” Triptych: The entombment and resurrection of Christ with a kneeling donor; Circle of the master of Flemalle (Robert Campin?) oil with some egg tempura on Baltic oak; c. 1425 -The Courtauld Institute of Art

It seems fitting to commence this series with this work for three reasons.

First , it is one of the earliest works in London from this period of absolutely International significance. Second, although the artistic tributaries that fed into what became the 15th Century Netherlandish outpouring were many and diverse, there can be no doubt that the output of the workshop in Tournai of Robert Campin/ The Master of Flemalle/ the Merode Group (1) during the period c.1390-1432 exerted a very great influence both on their contempories and on what followed. Yet so much that we know about this fecund grouping (that included at times Jaques Daret and Rogier Van der Weyden) is at best provisional.

That said, over the last 40 years, through scholarship and the use of new techniques such as infra red reflectology, much progress has been made and many of these developments have been supported from London (2)

So, thirdly, it is fitting to showcase this work at this time as much of this scholarship has culminated in an exhibition of works by “the Master of Flemalle” at the Stadel in Frankfurt (Städel Museum) and then Berlin that draws together in one place many of the works now attributed to this grouping.

For a reproduction of this work from the Courtauld’s collection click here.

Apart from the Seilern triptych, London has one of the most diverse and interesting collections of works attributed to Robert Campin and his circle and, in particular, the National Gallery houses a number of paintings identified with his workshop, including two paintings, of a man and a woman, that were painted on wood cut from the same plank and are believed to be of a husband and wife, although painted by different hands.

1. See Rogier Van Der Weyden : The complete Works; Dirk de Vos;Abrams;1999; pp 73-82.

2. See for example Robert Campin-New Directions in Scholarship ; National Gallery/Brepols; 1996 ; a book that captured revised versions of various papers given at a National Gallery hosted symposium on Campin held in 1993.