Biography

Rogier van der Weyden (ca. 1399-1464) was born in Tournai, a city that was under Burgundian influence. He came from a wealthy family: his father was a successful knife maker and his mother, Agnès de Waterlos, belonged to a higher social stratum (Châtelet, 1999). From a young age he showed great artistic ability, perhaps training with the painter Robert Campin in his hometown. He had two workshops, one in Tournai and the main one in Brussels. In the latter city he was appointed official painter in 1436 (Delenda, 1987). He had a large number of assistants and apprentices working in his workshop, which allowed him to carry out numerous works. Rogier van der Weyden's paintings are scattered in museums and national and international institutions. See, for example: Descent from the Cross (Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid); Virgin and Child Enthroned (Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza, Madrid); Francesco d'Este (Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York).

Bibliography

• CHÂTELET, Albert (1999): Rogier van der Weyden, Gallimard, París.
• DELENDA, Odile (1987): Roger van der Weyden, Éditions du Cerf-Tricorne, París.
• GROSSHANS, Rainald (1981): "Rogier van der Weyden: Der Marienaltar aus der Kartause Miraflores", nº 23, en Jahrbuch der Berliner Museen.
• KEMPERDICK, Stephan (2015): "Rogier van der Weyden. Tríptico de Miraflores", en CAMPBELL, Lorne (ed.), Rogier van der Weyden y los reinos de la península ibérica, Museo Nacional Del Prado, Madrid.
• VON BODE, Wilhelm (1908): "Roger van der Weydens sogen. Reisealtar Kaiser Karls V. im Kaiser-Friedrich-Museum und der Altar mit den gleichen Darstellungen in der Capilla Real des Doms zu Granada", nº 30, 2, en Amtliche Berichte aus den Königlichen Kunstsammlungen, pp. 29-35.