Barthélemy d'Eyck

Barthélemy d' Eyck ( detected in 1444, † 1476 ) was a Flemish painter and is considered as a particular illuminator ( illuminator ) as one of the most important and innovative artists of the 15th century.

About his life we know little and can only make educated guesses: Barthélemy d' Eyck was born in the Netherlands and studied in the later 1430s, probably by Jan van Eyck in Bruges, possible but is also an apprenticeship with Robert Campin. 1444 it is detectable in Aix -en- Provence, from 1447 prove his service accounts for René d' Anjou, with whom he must have had an intimate relationship, because it is treated not only as a courtier, but also his studio in the private chambers of the king in the castle of Angers had. Maybe he was in 1440 with the king in Italy.

His artistic work is mainly in the book painting characterized by naturalistic detail, materiality and innovative lighting and room treatments.

Background and education

Little is known about the painter's life. There are several documents showing that he came from the Dutch-speaking part of the Prince-Bishopric of Liège. His mother was a certain Ydria Exter, who came from the area of Maaseik and was married in second marriage with Pierre du Billant, a famous stickers and valet of René I d' Anjou. Pierre du Billant was also of Dutch origin. A document from Aix -en- Provence, dated June 28, 1460 confirmed this marriage. The same document mentions the brother of Barthélemy d' Eyck Clément calls him and described him as a nobleman from the diocese of Liege. On the other hand, a grave stone was found in the cemetery of the abbey Aldeneik in today Limburg city of Maaseik, showing the Van Eyck, therefore the first man of Ydria, connected with the arms of Van Biljandt or you Billant crest. This was evidence suggests that Barthelemy d' Eyck Jan and Hubert van Eyck, who also came from this region, related.

According to the research of Charles Sterling Barthelemy received 1430-1435 his training as a painter in the Burgundian Netherlands in the brothers van Eyck and probably with the Master of Flémalle identical Robert Campin. The German art historian Eberhard König assumes that Barthelemy of works from the workshop of Jan van Eyck was directly involved and thus about three pages to the work Très Belles Heures de Notre -Dame contributed. René d' Anjou, his future patron, is likely to have visited the studio of van Eyck in 1433. Among art historians, this view of things, however, is not without controversy. There are opinions, after which Barthélemy d' Eyck was trained by Robert Campin, this is justified by the painting style of the artist.

Sterling sees the possibility of acquaintance with the German painter Konrad Witz, with those who are Barthélemy d' Eyck attributed, whose works have distinct similarities. The two could have learned in 1434 at the Council of Basel know. Then Barthelemy likely to be met in 1435 with René d' Anjou in Dijon. This had inherited after his marriage to Isabella of Lorraine, the Duchy of Lorraine in 1431 by his father. He lost it, however, in the battle of Bulgnéville to Antoine de Vaudémont. As a result, he was arrested by Duke Philip the Good in the capital of Burgundy hostage. There are reports of a painter named Barthélemy at the court of Burgundy in the years 1440 and 1441, but there is no evidence that this is to Barthélemy d' Eyck.

Possible trip to Italy

Already for a long time art historians have evidence of Italian influence in the works that are Barthélemy d' Eyck attributed detected. At the same time there is evidence of influence of the art of Barthélemy D on some Italian artists. The Italian humanist Pietro Summonte claimed in 1524 that the Flemish technique of oil painting by René d' Anjou was passed on to the Neapolitan painter Colantonio personally, as the king from 1438 to 1442 resided in Naples. After the death of his brother Louis III. René of Anjou in 1434 had not only the duchy of Anjou, but also the possession of Johanna II of Naples inherited. After his release, René was born on May 19, 1438 in southern Italy, to enforce his claim to the title of King of Naples against Alfonso V of Aragon.

However, it is likely that painters have taught from the wake of King René d' Anjou Colantonio the Flemish technique. The Italian art historian Fiorella Sricchia Santoro and her French colleague Nicole Reynaud assume that Barthelemy d' Eyck accompanied his patrons. In any case, the presence of his father Pierre du Billant in Naples in 1440 is occupied. The two historians believe that he could have created the pages of Cockerell Chronicle during his stay in Naples. He could have also accompanied the king during his stopover in Genoa in 1438, where he had seen the Lomellini Triptych of Jan d' Eyck. The opinions about the length of stay in Italy go again apart. According Sricchia Santoro and the historian Carlo Ginzburg he remained until June 1442 with the King of Naples and traveled back with him to Florence, where they spent the summer at the Pazzi, to France. Nicole Reynaud is of the opinion that Barthélemy D previously returned, along with Isabella of Lorraine and their children, because again, the presence of Pierre du Billant in Aix -en- Provence is for March 1441. The whole trip to Italy is an assumption that there is no document that would prove, and there is not even evidence that Barthélemy D was at that time at all in the service of René. For the art historians who reject the thesis of a trip to Italy, include François Avril and Eberhard König. You remember that Barthelemy d' Eyck may have Cockerell Chronicle as well painted the basis of documents from Italy.

Court painter of King René

The presence of Barthélemy d' Eyck in Provence is well documented. In a document from 1444 from Aix -en- Provence, he is together with another great painters of his time in the region, the Picards Enguerrand Quarton, mentioned as master and painter ( pictor et magister ). He later appears in the accounts of King René as a painter with the position of the valet 1446-1470 and from 1459 tranchant as valet, which meant that he had the task to cut the roast of the king. This honorary title was often given to the court painter in medieval France and was associated with the receipt of a regular income. In 1460 King René Barthélemy d' Eyck gave another position that the squire of the king of Sicily. Despite all this can be found in the documents of King René d' Anjou no reference to the appointment of an image found. It was the main task of Barthélemy d' Eyck works of art and material as to procure parchment. There are art historians such as Albert Châtelet, who raise the question of whether Barthélemy d' Eyck was really active as an artist or not rather than private secretary.

René d' Anjou and his painters had a very close relationship. In addition to regular donations Barthelemy d' Eyck received from his king workspaces with the necessary facilities in some of his property. This work rooms were always close to the royal apartments. About the Castle of Tarascon is reported that there would be a room in the King 's apartments, where Barthélemy works in 1447. In an inventory of the palace of the Count in Aix -en- Provence in 1462 and the Skriptorio Studio Barthélemy be described, and there are mentions of the working spaces of Barthélemy of the royal residence in Marseille. Last but not least reports the list of the castle Angers from 1471 or 1472 by a small chamber in the chamber of the King, where there is a small stool on which sits Barthelemy to work. Finally, the artist followed his master often traveling. In addition to the possible stay in Naples 1438-1442, he participated in several trips between Anjou and Provence. In addition, he accompanied the king on his journey to Guyenne in the early 1450s.

• View of the castles of René d' Anjou, where the presence of Barthélemy D is occupied

Former Count palace of Aix -en- Provence, pen and ink drawing from the 18th century

Castle Angers, Galerie du Roi René.

The inventory of the castle Angers shows that Barthelemy was in 1472 still alive. From a letter that Jehanne de la Forest, the painter 's widow, probably wrote to René d' Anjou 1475-1480, however, reveals that the King asked for the transmission of the pour trai stubborn of Barthelemy, who were still in their possession, had. This letter confirms not only the recent death of the painter, but also the existence of works from the hand of Barthelemy, although it is not clear to what work it is. Under pour trai stubborn they were then understood drawings, not compelling ways portraits. The king pointed to the artist's death still his attachment.

Works

• Turin - Milan Hours ( by 1435, some of the miniatures), Turin, Museo Civico.
• Book of Hours of René d' Anjou, London, British Library, Ms. Egerton 1070.
• Annunciation Triptych (1442-1445), Aix -en- Provence, Sainte Marie -Madeleine, parts of the left wing today in Rotterdam, Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen.
• Le Livre des tournois de René d' Anjou ( tournament book, 1460 ), Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale, Ms. Fr. 2695th
• Le livre du Cœur d' amour épris (around 1460 to 1467, 16 miniatures), Vienna, Austrian National Library, Ms. 2597th
• Boccaccio, Teseida ( 1470, 7 miniatures), Vienna, Austrian National Library, Ms. 2617th