Der Meister von Flémalle. Die Werkstatt Robert Campins und Rogier van der Weyden

The group of paintings ascribed to the Master of Flémalle is one of the most outstanding and at the same time most enigmatic of early Netherlandish painting. Influential throughout the 15th century, these works are nowadays regarded, together with those of the Van Eyck brothers, as a starting point of Northern renaissance art. Ever since these paintings were grouped together a hundred years ago, on the grounds of stylistical analysis, they have been the object of controversial scholarly debates, concerning the identity of the artist and the coherence and homogeneity of the oeuvre. This publication presupposes neither the most newly assumed identification of the artist with Robert Campin of Tournai nor the homogeneity of the oeuvre. Instead, the investigation concentrates on the individual works, starting with the eponymous paintings in Frankfurt. Using the whole range of art historical methods and the results of technical investigations, the study presents new conclusions regarding division of hands and dating. Furthermore, the sometimes complex relations between different works are investigated. Another important result of the study is the reconstruction of now dismembered ensembles. In the course of the study, the Flémalle group turns out to be the work of several artists rather than the oeuvre of one master. There seem to be two major sub-groups which are connected with each other and which may even have come from one workshop. In the light of these findings, the study gives a new evaluation of the roles of Robert Campin and Rogier van der Weyden.