DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.42081#0052
of torture; by their composition these specimens recall the
14th. century, but their extremely clever and varied workman'
ship reveals the middle of the 15th. century. As is known we
possess several versions of these replicas : there is one at the
Brussels Museum (n° 804), another, with two figures of
donors, in the Museum of St. Saviour’s Cathedral in Bruges,
and still another in the Traumann collection at Madrid. These
paintings are interesting survivals which remain and persist far
into the 15th. century at a time when vision and technique
were already transformed. ?——j---.$---_—.—-
5S There are still many questions to which no answer is as
yet given. For instance that strange widening of the upper
part of the body of Christ which then suddenly narrows, is a
defect difficult to explain in the case of an artist who in other
respects draws and models with such assurance, as is shown
by the face of Christ or of the Benedictine. Perhaps it is
owing to the influence of a very ancient picture of Byzantine
style dating from the 11th. or 12th. Italian century, j-.j--
3? However it may be, this work which at first sight appears
somewhat rough, but which on closer examination reveals
such intense and refined colouring, affords us a very valuable
testimony of one of the most captivating periods of the art,
namely that in which the Van Eycks arise and begin to
work, « a period of research, says Count Durrieu, of attempts,
» struggles, and progress, which ends finally in the liberation
» of the artist’s inspiration, the return to his individual liberty,
» in face of old conventions, and also in the conquest of
14th. century, but their extremely clever and varied workman'
ship reveals the middle of the 15th. century. As is known we
possess several versions of these replicas : there is one at the
Brussels Museum (n° 804), another, with two figures of
donors, in the Museum of St. Saviour’s Cathedral in Bruges,
and still another in the Traumann collection at Madrid. These
paintings are interesting survivals which remain and persist far
into the 15th. century at a time when vision and technique
were already transformed. ?——j---.$---_—.—-
5S There are still many questions to which no answer is as
yet given. For instance that strange widening of the upper
part of the body of Christ which then suddenly narrows, is a
defect difficult to explain in the case of an artist who in other
respects draws and models with such assurance, as is shown
by the face of Christ or of the Benedictine. Perhaps it is
owing to the influence of a very ancient picture of Byzantine
style dating from the 11th. or 12th. Italian century, j-.j--
3? However it may be, this work which at first sight appears
somewhat rough, but which on closer examination reveals
such intense and refined colouring, affords us a very valuable
testimony of one of the most captivating periods of the art,
namely that in which the Van Eycks arise and begin to
work, « a period of research, says Count Durrieu, of attempts,
» struggles, and progress, which ends finally in the liberation
» of the artist’s inspiration, the return to his individual liberty,
» in face of old conventions, and also in the conquest of