"Any contemporary understanding of early Netherlandish paintings must take into account not only that historical data about them is fragmentary but also that art historians have used a variety of premises from which to study the works. This book, therefore, explores how the paintings of the period and the factual knowledge surrounding them have been assembled, analyzed, and interpreted from their rediscovery in the early nineteenth century to the present day." "Assembling these multiple perspectives in one volume, the editors underscore the common ground shared by their colleagues and intend thereby to advance the scholarly dialogue among them."--BOOK JACKET.

This volume follows on from Pacht's work on the Van Eycks and their circle, to encompass the great artists of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. Figures such as Van Der Weyden, Bouts, Christus, Van Der Goes and Memling, as well as lesser known artists, are examined in turn. With detailed discussion of particular paintings, style and symbolism.

an interpretation of early Netherlandish paintings with devotional portraits according to which many of these images act as visualisation of the spiritual process of the sitters.

Religious space. The city as devotional theatre Economic space. The pulse of the city Monumental space. The city as a stage Looking away from the city. Urban depictions of a rural ideal Towards an identifiable city. Town portraits of the sixteenth century General conclusion.

Publisher Description

Forty works by early Netherlandish masters from van Eyck to Bosch—reproduced in exquisite detail—are the subject of this breathtaking book that leads readers deep into the paintings to reveal each artist’s astonishing technique and brilliant application of color. The longer we gaze at the paintings of the old masters, the more we appreciate the subtlety and artistry of the painters who created them. This beautiful book offers readers an opportunity to learn and study the art of Jan van Eyck, Rogier van der Weyden, Hieronymus Bosch, Pieter Bruegel the Elder, and many other masters of this period and region. It also explores their influence on later artists from the Baroque period. Each of the works is briefly presented along with its historical and contextual background and importance. Then in a series of full-page illustrations, specific details are enlarged to guide the reader carefully and thoughtfully through the piece’s nuances and often overlooked features. The result is the next best thing to a private viewing at a museum—a truly sensuous and emotional experience that will engage both the novice and the expert. Till-Holger Borchert’s texts are informative and engaging as he shares his singular passion for these great works in a magnificent book that will inspire viewers to form their own opinions and exercise their own powers of observation within the context of this important period in art history.

An illustrated scholarly analysis of the art and the cultural interpretations of the Flemish Primitives.