A Man and his Wife
Master of the Barbara Legend (fl.1470-1500)
Category
Art / Oil paintings
Date
1470 - 1499
Materials
Oil on panel (oak)
Measurements
507 x 395 x 50 mm
Place of origin
Brussels
Order this imageCollection
Upton House, Warwickshire (Accredited Museum)
On show at
Upton House, Midlands, National Trust
NT 446752
Caption
This double portrait probably formed the right half of a diptych. The left side would have shown a religious devotional image, such as the Virgin and / or Christ. As would befit an image of this type, the sitters are shown in contemplation. The man is at prayer, and the woman holds a rosary, which hangs from her belt. Its small size suggests that it would have been portable.
Summary
Oil painting with gold leaf background on oak panel, A Man and his Wife by Master of the Barbara Legend, active late 15th century. Probably the right wing of a diptych. Two half-length portraits seen at a window; the man faces to the left wearing a black cloak, red sleeves slashed with white, and black hat, his hands joined in prayer, with a open missal resting on the ledge in front of him. His wife stands at his left shoulder; she wears a plum coloured dress and scarlet bodice with black cuffs and lapels, a black hat with a veil falling to her shoulders; from her belt hangs a rosary which she fingers with both hands.
Provenance
With the van Dieman Gallery, Berlin, 1922 as Burgundian School, circa 1400; bought by Lord Bearsted from Knoelder for £2,300, as ' French Primitive: Double Portrait', in June 1925, though still referred to in Hulin de Loo's article as with London trade, 1926-29; given with Upton House to the National Trust by Walter Samuel, 2nd Viscount Bearsted (1882 – 1948) shortly before his death in 1948
Credit line
Upton House, The Bearsted Collection (National Trust)
Makers and roles
Master of the Barbara Legend (fl.1470-1500), artist previously catalogued as attributed to Burgundian School, artist French School, artist
References
The Heritage of Rogier van der Weyden, Musées royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique, Brussels, Belgium 12 October 2013 - 26 January 2014, 59