The whole Merode AltarpieceYou can see the town so clearly! I think this is a quality of Northern Renaissance art. the hanging pot and the corners, beautiful architecture depicted linear perspective used for the staircase The architecture is definatelly beutiful and well presented. There is a lot of detail which gives it a very artistic and realistic feel. There is no hierarchy of scale used, all figures are very proportionate to each other and their surroundings. Characteristic of Northern Renaissance artists to paint the patron of the artwork in the piece as participants with the saints. Campion portrayed so many furnishings in the home as was characteristic of Northern Renaissance Flemish artists--gives you an idea of inside a Flemish home. I like the Northern Renaissance presentation of triptych--opens up like a story book. The table is almost too dimensional and it looks like the tools are going to fall off it. Good use of linear perspective in the ceiling and walls. Symbolism is used several times in this painting. Examples of this would be the lily that represents the Virgin Mary’s purity. Also the flame of the candle, symbolic of God's divinity which has just been extinguished. This is where a focal point wis as one can see the walls going towards it. Again shows illustion of space. this bench is a good example of linear perspective gone awry Detailed elaborate background is indicative of Northern Renaissance. Who is the man in the background? Elaborate, detailed background characteristic of Northern Renaissance especially with the architectural details so clear and identifiable How does Joseph fit into this whole picture? He seems very distant and removed from the activity in the two other panels. Flowers are used again in this painting as in this rose bush. What are roses a symbol of here? using linear perspective on the ceiling gives the room & the painting depth & illusion of space. This definitely looks like orthogonals, but artists of the northern renaissance did not use a mathematical formula for space -- it was more intuitive, more based on what they see, and not a precise formula. Those roses are a symbol of the love of the Virgin Mary. this is a self-portrait of Van Eyck Add your note here.this robe is red  
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Comments
LisaR says:There is definitely an illusion of space in
this tryptych painting. From the way the
clothing is shaped to show the human figure
to the use of lighting that travels from each
of the figures casting shadows. This
painting is very Northern Renaissance all the
way down to the background of the town.
Another characteristic of the Renaissance
period is the use of Linear perspective, this
is most easily notice through the way the
rooms are shaped. It gives the painting a
sense of dimension and depth. I don't think
this painting is has focused on the human
body as Italian Renaissance. It still does
focus on the human body, just not as much.
It is more into covering every square inch of
a canvas to make it is realistic as possible.
blakely1 says:At first glance this painting is almost
overwheleming, there is so much going on
here. Also it looks a littel spooky to me,
the rustling papers and the extinguished
candle seems as if the holy spirit himself is
in the room.The artist treats space in a very
interesting manner. It looks as though he is
trying to create linear perspective but maybe
he dosen't have his facts straight. I can't
decide if this is the case or if he is trying
to achieve something here by structuring it
in this manner. maybe he is trying to put us
in gods perspective. What makes me think that
he is trying to achieve linear perspective is
that you can see orthogonals (or at least
diagonal lines) but the space looks stretched
as opposed to growing smaller. 
IlanaV says:In Merode Altarpiece, a triptych by Campin
there are many typical characteristics of the
Northern Renaissance style. Campin treats the
human figures by painting them exactly the
way they would have looked, and did not
idealizing them like in the Italian
Renaissance where artists generalized and did
not focus on small details, rather they
concentrated on the face and cloths. You can
see the body under the drapery, and are all
in correct proportion.The painting is clear
and crisp, which is a typical feature of
Northern Renaissance art. The artist treats
space by showing equal importance to all
aspects of the painting. Campin painted an
extremely elaborate landscape that shows a
town in the distance. This too, is very
typical of much Northern Renaissance
painting. There is an illusion of space, does
the space make sense due to the illusion of
space created by atmospheric perspective. You
see linear perspective shown as well.
Tara Ragan says:The triptych painting has so much detail is
could be examined for hours. Cleverly placed
throughout the painting are things with very
symbolic meanings. For example, the lily on
the table is suppose to symbolize Mary’s
purity. All of the figures are wearing gowns
but their body shape is still fully visible.
Mary’s knee sticks out of her gown enough to
catch a reflection of light and seemingly
give the gown a bit of texture. The artist
did not idealize any of the faces. The
artist painted them exactly how he thought
they should look, naturally all of them very
different. An illusion of space is created
by the views of the town visible through the
windows and on the entire left side of the
painting. Not only does the town seem to go
for miles but it is shown at different
elevations. The architecture in the rooms was
very impressive because of the detail around
the archways and ceiling. Linear perspective
was used to help add depth. It is especially
noticeable in the middle room. I think the
artist did try to take math and science into
consideration but the bench and table in the
middle picture could have been a little more
even. The table looks like the legs are
longer on one side or it is tipping over.
bethrh says:PLEASE READ 
Shelby Johnson says:Thispicture really shows so many great
qualities of Northern Renaissance art. Even
though linear perspective is used some of the
areas like where Mary is sitting and the
tables is almost too dimensional and it looks
things are falling at you. The detailing in
the artitechure is fine and Campin didn't
leave anything out. Having the painting done
as a tritych gives it more of a story look,
instead of just being one scene. Light
reflections are used alot another qualilty of
a Northern Renaissance. It is shown on
Joseph's metal tools, Mary's outfit, and in
all the shadows, even in the corners.
Showing the background with the buildings
helps give you the sense of what the area
what like and really helps complete the whole
picture, especially giving it dimension. I
enjoy looking at and studying this picture
because the more I do, the more I find going
on in it, including symbols like the white
towel, the little Holy Spirit, and Mary
holding the towel under the Bible.
melissa d says:The Merode Altarpiece painting by Campin is
very realistic looking. There are many
obvious differences in this painting that
separates it from paintings done in the
Italian Renaissance. This Northern
Renaissance painting was done with oil paints
which gives it a flexible natural look. Using
oil paints makes painting easier for the
artist because it dries slow and allows for
thick textured brushstrokes and thin fine
detail as well. Also the painting can be
finished in several sessions. The color also
appears more vibrant and real when using oil
paints. This painting also demonstrates the
use of light on reflective surfaces which is
also a characteristic of Northern Renaissance
art. Everything about this altarpiece is very
detailed and the artist gives equal
importance to everything in the painting.
Paintings of the Italian Renaissance were
very generalized and only focused on the main
point and not so much anything else. All of
the individuals in this painting are painted
exactly how they would look at that exact
time. Their facial expressions seem more
captured whereas in the Italian Renaissance
they would seem more idealized. The
landscapes and backgrounds in the painting
create an illusion of space using atmospheric
perspective. The scene seems to go back as
far as the eye can see. For example on the
left panel where you can see through the open
door and in the right panel also when you can
see out of the window. A major characteristic
of the Northern Renaissance art is the major
use of symbolism. Symbolism is used several
times in this painting. Examples of this
would be the lily that represents the Virgin
Mary’s purity. The tiny ghost of Christ with
a cross flying in the widow in the center
panel indicates that the primary subject is
the Incarnation. The mousetrap displayed on
the window ledge is an allusion to the cross
the unborn Christ carries in the center
panel. According to Saint Augustine the cross
was the mousetrap with which God caught the
Devil. The flame of the candle is symbolic of
God's divinity which has just been
extinguished. It is a further reference to
the Incarnation (the moment when God became
man). The donor and his wife are shown in the
left panel looking through an open door. The
patron’s name means "the angel brings". His
coat of arms appears in the left window of
the center panel. The bodies are not easily
distinguishable underneath all of the layers
of drapery however the proportions look
realistic. Symbolism and religious meaning is
apparently very important in everyday life
and art in the Northern Renaissance.
Everything to these people has some sort of
hidden meaning.
ckillin says:This piece of really says Northern
Renaissance. First, is the symbolism in this
piece, with the lily on the table that is a
religious symbol for purity. Symbolism was a
defining part of northern Renaissance.
Second, is light on reflective surfaces, in
the gold pots in the middle panel. Reflective
light is another point that shows one that
this is a Northern Renaissance piece. Third,
is there is no idealizing in Northern
Renaissance art, we can see this throughout
the details throughout the figures and
surrounding areas in the art.
LisaR says:Oh yes, I did notice the spacing being a
little off. Particularly in the center
painting. When I first looked the oval shaped
table appeared cirular and looked like it was
tipping over. Also the painting to the right
looks a little of where the table is there in
front of the carpenter.
Erin_Lambert says:I really liked the reality in this painting.
I feel that the artist toke so much time and
attention to detail. I do see the space
being off in the center of the painting.
Heirarchy of scale is also not used very well
in the painting. I see the linear
perspective in the ceiling and steps in this
painting. I feel as though everything from
the lighting to the outside clouds flows and
has a sense of follow through.
adria053 says:To start off this painting is a triptych
which means it "consists of 3 separate panels
connected with hinges". The artist uses a lot
of linear perspective to give the painting
depth and the illusion of space. He uses it
in the architecture as well as the furniture
(ie. Mary's bench). Also, he uses modeling of
light and dark, especially on the drapery of
the figures clothing, to incinuate their
bodies. But the artist's main concern is not
making the figures appear more realistic but
supporting them with more realistic and very
detailed backgrounds. This in turn make the
figures seem very real. Also, the use of
hidden symbols that support the story the
painting is trying to tell. Like, in the
center panel, the gust of wind being shown
coming through the window trailing a small
ghost-like figure of Christ carrying a cross,
representing the Holy Spirit, as well as the
candle being blown out and the book pages
turning emphasizing the wind. 
vguerrazzi says:The altarpiece's initial setting seems like a
middle class house. The symbolism through all
of the accesories and furniture also function
as religious symboles letting the veiwer know
this is more than an average household...it
is divine. Mary's expression is that she has
not yet realized that the angel Gabriel has
entered the room to see her. The bench that
she leans on is supposed to represents Mary's
mission. The piece as a whole is in a
perspective that is too dimensional that it
looks very slanted. Joseph's tools look like
they are going to slide off the table. Joseph
is depicted as a carpenter in his workshop.
The moustrap in Joseph's scene represents
Christ in the world as a trap for the devil.
The donors on the left are kneeling and seem
to be spectators to the holy annunciation.
There are many symbols throughout the piece
the represent Mary's modesty, and purity,
like the flowers on the donors side, the lily
in the middle piece, the white towel and the
copper basin. The extinquised candle
represents the Incarnation of Christ. The
medium is oil paint which brings a great
depth to the whole painting.
melissa d says:I think that the table in the middle that
Mary is sitting next to is sort of off. Now
that it has been mentioned I do notice how
the painting is not exact and it has its
defects. The lines are not all in perspective
on objects like tables, doors, and benches. I
don't think any of this would have caught my
eye however if it wasn't brought to my
attention.
ohne_fleiss_kein_preis says:i'm not sure if this was mentioned, but above
the angel, there is a naked Christ Child
bearing the Cross.
Schrunchy says:i saw that no one has written anything about
what is Joseph doing in this painting. Since
they started to examine this painting, there
was a question why is Joseph so amused with
making mousetraps in his room. As saint
Augustine said, God was supposed to come on
Earth in shape of a man, so he could capture
Satan - God's cross was a mousetrap for the
Devil. 
simona_sitarova says:Notice that in the painting on the right the
lines of perspective are completely off. The
lines of the table, the bench and the
ceiling... neither correspond.
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Finding location...
Lisa LeV says:
This painting uses linear perspective as clearly evidenced by the way in which he has constructed the rooms in each tryptych. For instance, if you view the pew bench that Mary is leaning on you can see that the legs and arms of the bench are drawn in perspective and appear to be disappearing to a vanishing point somewhere in the distance behind her head off into space. The same can be said for the bench upon which St. Joseph sits and if you follow the lines in of the stairs and doorframes in the 1st tryptych. The spaces make sence in the paintings in that the viewer dows get a sense that these are rooms that the occupants are in, however, it seems to me that the use of linear perspectiver for the tryptych actually makes everthing seem more confining - almost cluttered if you will. The figures in these paintings in comparison to what we saw in the italion rennaisance appear also have weight but it also brings to mind a sentimentality to the ideals of the medieval period - the bodies beneath the figures are insinuated rather then more clearly defined. It is evident that it isn't an Italian rennaissance painting because the figures here more somber in appearance and not as expressionistic as we have seen in many of the works from the italian rennaissance period.
Posted 58 months ago. ( permalink )