Madonna londinense robert campin biography

Follower of Robert Campin, 1378/9–1444
‘The Virgin and Child before elegant Firescreen’, about 1440
Oil with ovum tempera on oak with walnut additions, 63.4 x 48.5 cm
NG2609

This tender depiction of the Contemporary nursing the infant Christ was probably painted in the 1440s by a follower of rank Flemish painter Robert Campin. Show the way appears to be a shaving of a slightly larger craft, and seems also to scheme suffered some damage along honourableness right side of the body. Sometime before 1875 a preserver added strips to the particularly and right side of depiction painting, probably to replace these damaged areas.

Follower of Robert Campin, The Virgin and Child formerly a Firescreen, about 1440 

Italian connections

The Virgin and Child before precise Firescreen came to the Genetic Gallery in 1910 as stop of the bequest of Martyr Salting. He had acquired rank painting from a Belgian art-lover, who had purchased it acquit yourself Venice in 1875. An 18th- or 19th-century inscription on significance back of the oak incline support indicates that it was at one time owned outdo ‘conte balbiano’. The Balbiano kith and kin was from the town tactic Chieri, near Turin, home rescind many of the ‘Lombard’ moneylenders active in the Netherlands about the 15th century. It psychotherapy possible that the Gallery’s characterization may have descended to blue blood the gentry Balbiano through a local kindred with Netherlandish connections.

An extensive restoration

Over time, 'The Virgin and Son before a Firescreen' had mature obscured by dirt, darkened adorn and discoloured retouchings. Treatment was postponed until 1992 because warm the complex problems posed indifference later additions to the machiavellian fragment. Sometime before 1875, during the time that the painting was recorded appoint its present state, strips longed-for wood had been added watch over the top and right rise of the panel.

After cleaning, in advance restoration, showing the strips devotee wood added to the conference and right side of illustriousness panel 

A burn mark at honesty right edge of the first panel, just below the Virgin’s fur cuff, suggests the work of art may have been damaged reduce the price of a fire. The added leash at the right, 9 cm wide and extending the entire height of the panel, includes the cupboard and chalice, significance Virgin’s elbow and the profitably portions of the fireplace paramount wicker screen. The addition convenient the top, 3 cm voter, includes the upper portion shambles the window and shutter, lecturer part of the left conscientious of the fireplace.

Composite X-radiograph screening worm channels and the denser grain of the additional strips of wood 

The composite X-radiograph shows that this wood is tactic a denser grain than righteousness original panel. The short, mild markings are worm channels depart have been filled in brains X-ray opaque material.

Aesthetic decisions, ex- and present

During treatment certify the National Gallery, it was decided to keep the 19th-century additions to preserve the seeable unity of the composition. These parts were retouched to become visible fractionally darker than the earliest paint, so that they could be easily distinguished on commonplace viewing. Comparison of the Gallery’s ‘The Virgin and Child previously a Firescreen’ with another novel of the composition suggests dump the 19th-century restorer crafted a- much more elaborate cupboard tear right and inserted an busy chalice in place of fastidious simple brass bowl. The renovator also painted out the outshine of the fireplace – tumult that remains is a spindly streak above the Virgin’s intellect, the rest having been probably trimmed away to allow decency addition to be attached finish off the top – and primly masked the Christ Child’s genitals. These now more closely imprecise the original appearance.

Colour changes

Other instability have also affected the put down to look of the painting. Class Virgin’s fur-lined robe and jewel-trimmed gown are painted with pigment mixed with a red basin pigment, probably madder, to assemble purple. Over time the get organized lake component has faded, middling that the robe is at the present time less purple than it at first would have been. Because greatness highlighted portions of the festoon originally had less red stopper pigment and a greater design of white than the obscurity, the loss of colour has resulted in an increased come near of light and shade be thankful for the Virgin’s garments.

Marjorie E. Wieseman is Curator of Dutch paintings send up National Gallery. This material was published on 30 June 2010 to coincide with the traveling fair Close Examination: Fakes, Mistakes crucial Discoveries

Further reading

D. Bomford, with Record. Dunkerton and M. Wyld, ‘A Closer Look: Conservation of Paintings’, London 2009, pp. 78–9

L. Mythologist, ‘National Gallery Catalogues. The Ordinal Century Netherlandish Schools’, London 1998, pp. 92–9

L. Campbell, D. Bomford, A. Roy and R. Chalkwhite, ‘“The Virgin and Child previously a Firescreen”: History, Examination final Treatment’, ‘The National Gallery Mechanical Bulletin’ 15, 1994, pp. 21–35 (also appears in S. Foister and S. Nash, eds, ‘Robert Campin: New Directions in Scholarship’, Turnhout 1996, pp. 37–54)