Robert Campin

Robert Campin (c. 1375 Tournai ();? † April 26, 1444 in Tournai ) was a Flemish painter.

In art, science, the view has largely prevailed that the previously designated by the Notnamen Master of Flémalle and Master of Merode artists whose works can be assigned to the oeuvre Campins including his workshop associated with Robert Campin and. Robert Campin played a central role in the development of the Flemish Primitives next to Jan van Eyck. His most important students were Rogier van der Weyden and Jacques Daret.

Life

The first evidence of the work of Robert Campin found in 1406 in Tournai, where he is listed as a free master of the guild of painters. After that, he must have been about 25 to 28 years old. Based on this information his birth year is estimated today. About his birthplace is nothing more aware of what has in the past led to all sorts of conjecture and speculation

1410 he acquired in Tournai civil rights, suggesting that he probably originally not from this city. Although he was not an official city painter, but he regularly led from work for the city authorities. The municipal contracts included the design of flags, coat of arms, signs, murals, orders of Sacred panel paintings are not documented, however. Campin worked in various public offices. He was a board in the parish, treasurer of a monastery and was also elected to the thirty -member city council. Furthermore, he was an accountant and Keeper of the Seals of the city.

Twice he was on trial, once in connection with a controversy about a colleague, and a second time in July 1432 when he, as he had an affair with a certain Leurence Polette, though he at the same time with Ysabiel de Stocquain (or Isabella or. Elisabeth van Stockhem ) was married, was sentenced to one year in exile; then he broke his workshop on a temporary basis. This had the consequence that Rogier van der Weyden and Jacques Daret were identifiable as your own artistic personalities by setting up their own workshops. In October of the same year, this sentence was revoked, and Campin led his workshop reduced further. However, the number of public contracts fell sharply. In the last 13 years of his life there were only 4 or 5

Factory and workshop

Campins work that was initially heavily influenced by French book painting, shows a great level of detail and so reflects the good powers of observation of the painter's. In addition, the images are characterized by a striving after plastic molding of the figures and a natural depth of the spaces, even if this was not always represented mathematically exact.

The three panels with breastfeeding Mother of God, who with the handkerchief and the throne of grace ( God the Father with the Dead Christ ), in 1849 the Städel with the declaration brought the Aachen textile manufacturer Ignaz van Houtem, they came from the " Abbey of Flémalle " include Veronika, to the most important and enigmatic works of Early Netherlandish painting. However, the three Aachener panels can not come from the Belgian town near Liege, there was no abbey there. However, a similar name was Abbey near lions. This abbey was dissolved Vlierbeek 1796-1798 and sold. In 1898 the painter of the three panels of Aachen was awarded based on the information of the Aachen textile manufacturer by Hugo von Tschudi Notnamen the " Master of Flémalle ". Derived from the erroneous designation of origin of the creators of these three panels of posterity was delivered with the Notnamen after the place, near Liège.

To what extent this " Master of Flémalle ", which can be described according to current knowledge true than "Master of the three Aachener panels " actually identical to the artist's personality Robert Campin or to what extent other students his workshop were involved in these paintings is not entirely clear. According to recent findings derived originally under the name Master of Flémalle, now compiled under Robert Campin works by several artists.

Particular rank in the Campin ascribed factory has founded around 1425/30 Portrait of a man (possibly Robert de Masmines ), which is considered one of the earliest autonomous portrait in European painting of the modern era, in which the sitter was broken away from a religious founder context.

Works

In the unsigned works can be just about write-ups that are recognized by style comparisons and other scientific methods (X-ray, infrared, dendrochronology ):

• Madonna with Child (Frankfurt am Main, Städel, 160 × 68 cm )
• Saint Veronica (Frankfurt am Main, Stadel, 1430, 152 x 61 cm, oil on wood)
• Mercy seat (Frankfurt am Main, Stadel, 1430, 149 × 61 cm)

• Madonna on a grass bank (Berlin, Gemäldegalerie, circa 1425, oil on wood)

• Nativity ( Dijon, Musée des Beaux -Arts, circa 1425-1430, oil on wood)

• The Virgin and Child Before a Fire Screen (London, National Gallery, oil on panel, 63.5 × 49 cm)
• Portrait of a Woman ( National Gallery, London, circa 1430, oil on wood)
• Portrait of a Man ( National Gallery, London, circa 1430, oil on wood)

• Portrait of a man (Robert de Masmines? ) (Madrid, Thyssen- Bornemisza collection, circa 1425, oil on wood)

• Portrait of a man (Robert de Masmines? ) (Berlin, Gemäldegalerie, circa 1425, oil on wood)

• Heinrich von Werl and St. John the Baptist ( Madrid, Museo del Prado, 1438, oil on wood)
• St. Barbara (Madrid, Museo del Prado, 1438, oil on wood)

• Merode Triptych or Annunciation ( New York City, Metropolitan Museum of Art, circa 1425, oil on wood)

• The mourning of the Trinity (St. Petersburg, Hermitage Museum, oil on wood)
• Madonna and Child in front of a fireplace (St. Petersburg, Hermitage Museum, oil on wood)