Ch. 20 –15th Century Art in Northern Europe and

Spain

What is going on at this time?

• France and Holland - 100 years war • 1337-1453• Flanders was a major city in Belgium• Centralized government in 12th Century

European movement• Several Kings successfully consolidated

authority

• Trading in Flanders / Bruges – Economic and a strong important city

• Oil Paint –origin of use in Flanders• Moveable Type – Germany• Northern art reflects time of the 15th Century

– piety and political power• Refined illuminated manuscripts

French Manuscript Illumination

• 15th century France• Refined manuscripts – Artists looked to

stained glass ( jewel like colors )• More pronounced characteristics/ illusion/

not flat• Development of Humanism

JANUARY - Book of Hours – Les Tres Riches Heures Duc de Berry -1413

By the Limbourg Brothers

• Made for the Duke of Berry • Book of Hours are prayers you

recite during certain parts of the day

• 12 Months represented, seasonal tasks scenes of nobility and peasantry

• New years eve dinner• Riches

October from Les Tres Riches Heures du Duc de Berry 1416

• Sower and harrower on horseback, washerwoman, in front of the Louvre

• How are the peasants acting?

• How is the Duke as a master?

Flemish Art

• Duke of Berry – Grandson- Philip the Good ruled a region knows as the Duchy of Burgundy – Rich cities, industrial

• Bruges – wealth and industry• Dukes of Burgundy – immense wealth over Northern

France and Belgium• Great Schism over – Rome back in power, more

renewed interest in Religion and Art• Flemish society – commissioned both public and

personal devotional practices/ more pilgrimages

Well of Moses – Sluter –Dijon, France – 1400ce

• Creator died before completing the well

• Did not sprout water, - church service needed silence for prayer

• Fountain of everlasting life• Paint flaked off• Drapery folds, like jamb

sculptures but more movement

• Horns on Moses

Public Devotional ImageryJan van Eyk

• Altarpieces = backdrops for churches/ behind altar

• Reenactment of taking the body and blood of Christ during church

• Altar pieces relate to Christ’s sacrifice• Polyptych ( hinged multi-paneled

paintings)• Gives more room for narratives• Donors • Sculptures of Ghents patron Saints• Flemish town in window

Ghent Altarpiece- Jan van Eyk 1432Queen of Heaven, Ghent’s patron Saints/ donors/ God the Father in the center wearing a pope hat/ One of the largest altar pieces of the 15th century/

commisioned/ Fountain of Life/ Lamb( son), 12 apostles, Virgin Martyrs, Holy Confessors, hermits, temperance, pilgrims -temperance, Prudence(knights)

Types of Oil Paint created:

• Deep colors, glazes, illusion of glowing light – characterized Flemish painting

Van Der Weyden 1444

Last Judgement– Triptych (Central Panel)Big Impact on Northern Ptgs, Fluid Dynamic Composition., Stressing action & Drama, Punishment,

Devotion, Punishment - disease

Bouts - Last Supper - 1464

• Vanishing point• Orthogonals(lines

imagined to be behind and perpendicular to the picture plane

• First panel depicting this event

Memling – Virgin with Saints and Angels - 1479

Campin – Merode Altarpiece 1425

Jan van Eyck – Man in Red Turban-1433

Rogier van der Weyden-1433

Bosch – Garden of Earthly Delights1500ce

FrenchFouquet – Melun Diptych -1450

• Pious Donor - Chevalier

GermanMadonna in the Rose Garden- Virgin Mary

around a rose garden -Rosary

Graphic Arts

• Letterpress – German Invention• Printing in China known for centuries• Woodcuts• Intaglio- engraving, using a tool or burning

chemically• Printing press• Reaches a wider audience, cheaper than

paintings or sculptures

Drawing on Metal

• Saint Anthony Tormented by Demons – Schongauer

• Metal Engraving – Intaglio

• Saint caught with spikey demons,

• Tones

Conclusion

• Economic, social and religion changes effected Spanish and Northern art

• Flanders – Oil Paints, illusionism in manuscript illumination and the invention of the moveable type

• Charles I son of Isabella of Spain united three major dynastic lines – Habsburg, Burgundian and Spanish