Early Painting in the Northern Netherlands

This volume, published in association with the Rijksmuseum, investigates the materials and techniques of early Northern Netherlandish paintings in the museum’s collection. Scientists, conservators, and art historians examine 14 works to uncover details about panels, pigments, oils, and methods, linking findings to medieval texts and treatises. Richly illustrated, the book reveals lost skills and forgotten materials, offering fresh insight into the technical practices of medieval painters.

This volume published in association with the Rijksmuseum contains the results of investigations by the author and other scientists, conservators and art historians, many from the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam into the materials and techniques of early paintings form the Northern Netherlands in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. In order to investigate the materials used by the artists; the provenance of the materials; the methods of preparation and application, 14 paintings and frames were examinedand information on the panels, grounds, underdrawings, pigments, oils, diluents etc. are related to the descriptions in mediaeval texts and treatises. This richly illustrated book gives a clear understanding of the lost skills, forgotten materials and technical secrets of medieval painting – a world so different from ours – thereby making the materials and methods of the medieval past less foreign to us.

Early Painting in the Northern Netherlands: Methods and Materials 1 Calvary of Hendrik van Rijn, c. 1363, Anonymous (Utrecht School) 2 Memorial Tablet for the Lords of Montfoort, c. 1380-1400, Anonymous (Northern Netherlands School) 3 Lysbeth van Duyvenvoorde, c. 1430, Anonymous (Northern Netherlands School)

4 Eighteen Scenes from the Life of Christ, Roermond Passion, c. 1435, Anonymous (Gelre School) 5 Triptych with Crucifixion, the Mass of St Gregorius, and St. Christopher, c. 1460, Hillebrant van Rewijk (attr.) 6 Geertruy Haeck-van Slingelandt kneeling in prayer before St. Agnes, c. 1460-70, Anonymous (Dordrecht) 7 The Adoration of the Magi, c. 1475, Anonymous (Haarlem Geertgen-group) 8 The Tree of Jesse, c. 1490, Anonymous (Haarlem Geertgen-group) 9 The Virgin and Child in an enclosed garden with Sts. Catherine, Cecilia, Barbara and Ursula, after c. 1495, Master of the Virgo inter Virgines (Delft?) 10 Four Canons with Sts Augustine and Jerome by an Open Grave, with the Visitation: Spes Nostra, after c. 1508, Master of the Spes Nostra (Leiden?) 11 Triptych with Mary and the Christ Child, Joseph, Angels and Sybils, c. 1500, The Master of Delft 12 Life of the Virgin, Christ's second visit to the house of Mary and Martha, c. 1515-20, Cornelis Engebrechtsz 13 Triptych with the Last Supper, c. 1515-20, Jacob Cornelisz van Oostsanen (?) 14 The Miracle of the Holy Site, c. 1515, Jacob Cornelisz van Oostsanen,

Early Painting in the Northern Netherlands: Methods and Materials

1              Calvary of Hendrik van Rijn, c. 1363, Anonymous (Utrecht School)

2              Memorial Tablet for the Lords of Montfoort, c. 1380–1400, Anonymous (Northern Netherlands School)

3              Lysbeth van Duyvenvoorde, c. 1430, Anonymous (Northern Netherlands School)

4              Eighteen Scenes from the Life of Christ, Roermond Passion, c. 1435, Anonymous (Gelre School)

5              Triptych with Crucifixion, the Mass of St Gregorius, and St. Christopher, c. 1460, Hillebrant van Rewijk (attr.)

6              Geertruy Haeck-van Slingelandt kneeling in prayer before St. Agnes, c. 1460–70, Anonymous (Dordrecht)

7              The Adoration of the Magi, c. 1475, Anonymous (Haarlem Geertgen-group)

8              The Tree of Jesse, c. 1490, Anonymous (Haarlem Geertgen-group)

9              The Virgin and Child in an enclosed garden with Sts. Catherine, Cecilia, Barbara and Ursula, after c. 1495, Master of the Virgo inter Virgines (Delft?)

10           Four Canons with Sts Augustine and Jerome by an Open Grave, with the Visitation: Spes Nostra, after c. 1508, Master of the Spes Nostra (Leiden?)

11           Triptych with Mary and the Christ Child, Joseph, Angels and Sybils, c. 1500, The Master of Delft

12           Life of the Virgin, Christ’s second visit to the house of Mary and Martha, c. 1515−20, Cornelis Engebrechtsz

13           Triptych with the Last Supper, c. 1515−20, Jacob Cornelisz van Oostsanen (?)

14           The Miracle of the Holy Site, c. 1515, Jacob Cornelisz van Oostsanen

• By (author) Arie Wallert