Bladelin Triptych
Historical Context
Rogier van der Weyden's Bladelin Triptych, painted around 1450 and now in the Gemäldegalerie, Berlin, was commissioned by Pieter Bladelin, a wealthy Bruges financier who founded the town of Middelburg in Flanders. The central panel shows the Nativity with the donor, while the wings depict the Emperor Augustus and the Tiburtine Sibyl, and the three Magi being guided by the star. Bladelin's prominent inclusion reflects the patron's ambition to be permanently associated with the sacred narrative.
Technical Analysis
Rogier renders the triptych with characteristic precision, using elaborate architectural settings and carefully staged figures, with the donor portrait showing the same meticulous attention to physiognomy that he brought to his independent portrait commissions.
See It In Person
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Portrait of Jean Gros (recto); Coat of Arms of Jean Gros (verso)
Rogier van der Weyden·1460–64
Virgin and Child
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Virgin and Child
Follower of Rogier van der Weyden (Master of the Saint Ursula Legend Group, Netherlandish, active late 15th century)·ca. 1480–90
The Holy Family with Saint Paul and a Donor
Rogier van der Weyden·1430
