TEFAF Maastricht 2019

Preview days 14-15 March 2019
Public days 16-24 March 2019

Stand 340

Last week in Philadelphia, a fine example of the Master of the Embroidered Foliage’s work was auctioned at a record price. A Virgin and Child that would seem to herald the hustle and bustle surrounding the old masters at Tefaf!

With another Virgin and Child also executed by this outstanding artist, we shall certainly be holding the bar high. Since M.J. Friedländer’s research in the 1920s, art historians have closely examined the Master’s paintings, in which foliage and nature are depicted as delicately as embroidery. These meticulous works are the fruit of a brilliant studio, established in Brussels in the late 15th century and early 16th century, marked by Rogier van der Weyden, and Gérard David based in Bruges.

This Virgin and Child has been linked to a panel currently kept in Lille showing two donors praying. There is an interesting similarity in the rendering of the arcades in relief. Forming the sections of an altarpiece whose central panel was a Virgin and Child, the triptych probably decorated a family chapel or perhaps a domestic interior. Intended for private devotion, ourVirgin and Child is a copy of a missing model by Dirk Bouts. A version, attributed to his son, Albrecht Bouts, features in the Museum of Louvain’s collections.

This rare piece, whose artistry and conservation are proof of the artist’s quality, will be yours to discover in a few days time. Just like the Child grasping his foot with his right hand, encouraging the faithful to follow, we invite you to join us next week in Maastricht until 24 March!