Madonna by a Grassy Bank
Robert Campin·1422
Historical Context
Robert Campin's Madonna by a Grassy Bank, painted around 1422 for the Gemäldegalerie Berlin, sets the Virgin and Child in an outdoor setting with a low wall and grass. This innovative composition, placing the Madonna in a garden-like landscape, reflects the symbolism of the hortus conclusus or enclosed garden associated with Marian purity. Robert Campin, now generally identified with the so-called Master of Flémalle, was one of the founders of the Flemish painting tradition alongside Jan van Eyck.
Technical Analysis
The outdoor setting allows Campin to display his skill in rendering natural elements alongside the figures, with the grassy bank, flowers, and sky painted with the detailed observation that characterizes the Netherlandish approach to landscape.
