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The Donne Triptych
ArtistHans Memling
Yearc. 1478
MediumOil on wood
Dimensions71 cm × 70.3 cm (28 in × 27.7 in)
LocationNational Gallery, London
AccessionNG6275.1

Lead (Agniya)

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Plan on deleting the entire current lead, in its entirety, and replace with what I have written:

The Donne Triptych is a triptych altarpiece by the Early Netherlandish painter Hans Memling. The altarpiece was painted for Sir John Donne around 1478. The triptych comprises three panels that include five individual panel paintings: a central panel depicting the Virgin and Child with saints and donor portraits of Sir John Donne, the patron, along with his wife and daughter and Saint Catherine of Alexandria and Saint Barbara, along with two double-sided wings that include further images of Saint John the Baptist, Saint John the Evangelist, on the interior panels, and Saint Christopher and Saint Anthony Abbot on the exterior panels. The painting is housed at the National Gallery, London.

Patron and commission (Braden and Agniya)

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Donor portrait of Sir John Donne, patron of the Donne Triptych

Sir John Donne, of Kidwelly, Carmarthenshire, a courtier to the English King Edward IV (r. 1461–1470 and 1471–1483) and a loyal supporter of the House of York, perhaps commissioned the painting on a visit to Bruges in 1479 after seeing Hans Memling's St. John Altarpiece that had been created in the mid-1470s for Old St. John's Hospital (Sint-Janshospitaal).[1][2][3][4][5] Scholars have proposed that it is likely that the St. John Altarpiece was taken into consideration in the contract between Donne and Memling, as the composition, architectural setting, figural placement a virtually the same.[1][4] Memling was known to re-use, recycle, and recombine workshop patterns in order to run an efficient workshop.[4] The Donne Triptych is crafted with oil paint on wood and is also framed in oak wood.[6]

Sir John Donne is depicted in his altarpiece as a donor portrait, seen at the bottom left of the Virgin.[7] Also included in the painting is a donor portrait of his wife, Elizabeth Hastings, whom he married by March of 1465.[4][7]

The family had multiple children, including a son named Edward (born in or after 1483, thus following the creation of the Donne Triptych) and two daughters named Anne and Margaret.[4][8] As an eldest and oldest child, Anne was featured in the painting when it was commissioned.[4][9] She would have been roughly six to eight years old, her mother would have been around thirty years old, and her father would have been in his fifties, if the artwork had been finished in the late 1480s.[9]

Donne Coat of arms

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Sir John Donne's coat of arms hanging from the column capitals in the Donne Triptych

Lorne Campbell has identified Donne's coat of arms as “Azure, a wolf salient argent" and they can clearly be seen attached to the two column capitals that flank the canopied throne of the Virgin Mary in the central panel of the triptych.[4][7] The armorial escutcheons are also found in the stained glass seen in the right wing with the figure of Saint John the Evangelist.[4][7] Simiarly, an image of the Donne coat of arms, along with a donor portrait of Sir John Donne, can be seen in the Louthe Hours (also known as the Donne Hours), painted by Simon Marmion c.1480.[7]

Donne Livery Collars (Agniya)

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Yorkist Collar on Lady Donne
Yorkist Collar on Sir John Donne

A livery collar represents a royal symbol presented to people who served in the royal household, sheriffs and those who expressed loyalty during the battlefield.[10] There were two different types of livery collars in England during the fifteenth century: the Lancastrian and the Yorkist collar. [11]

In the painting, both Sir John Donne and his wife Elizabeth are donned with Yorkist collars.[10] Their collars include the roses and suns of the House of York, as well as white the lion which hangs suspended at the center, to demonstrate their political fidelity to the House of York.[9]


Description of the exterior panels (Braden)

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Exterior panels of the Donne Triptych depicting Saint Christopher and Saint Anthony Abbot

The exterior panels are only seen when the triptych is closed, and two saints anchor the wings: Saint Christopher and Saint Anthony Abbot, both executed in the grisaille technique, imitating marble or stone statues in niches.[4][9][12] Both saints are shown with light shining on them, casting shadows behind them.[9]

While it remains unknown as to why these two Saints were included in the triptych, the patron, Sire John Donne, likely had a particular devotional interest in them.[7][9] Saint Christopher and Saint Anthony Abbot are often associated with protection and healing.[9]

In the left niche of the triptych, Saint Christopher holds a flowering staff, and carries the Christ-Child on his shoulders, who raises his hand in a blessing gesture toward Saint Anthony.[13] In the niche on the right, Saint Anthony holds a book and a bell in his right hand, a staff in his left, and a pig at his side.[13]

Description of the interior panels (Agniya)

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Central panel of the Donne Triptych

Central panel

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The central scene of the interior panel of the triptych includes nine figures represented in the open and spacious loggia.[4] The architectural features found in the painting are a mix of domestic interior in the style of the city of Bruges and part Italianate palatial.[6]

In the center, the Virgin Mary sits enthroned beneath a canopy decorated with a gold cloth of honor behind her, while holding the Christ Child in her lap with her right hand.[4] In her left hand she holds the Book of Wisdom.[14]

The feet of the Virgin can be seen resting on a Turkish carpet.[13][15] This oriental rug represents a division of authority and holiness between the sacred and profane spaces depicted in the painting.[15] With the Donne family touching the ends of the carpet, it alludes to their cosmopolitan taste and privileged access to foreign goods as well as the holiness of the Virgin Mary and Christ Child.[15] On secular level, the function of the painting reinforces that wealthy individuals, like Sir John Donne and his family, were given closer proximity to heaven and the divine, as see through the physical spacing of the figures in the painting, with Sir John Donne and his wife Elizabeth shown intimately close to Christ and The Virgin.[12]

The Christ Child is shown gesturing in the direction of the patron, Sir John Donne; the way his fingers are positioned indicates that he is bestowing a blessing on the loyal knight.[14] The Christ Child and Virgin Mary are surrounded by two music-paying angels: on the left an angel holds a viol while at the same time offers an apple (the forbidden fruit) to the Christ Child, and on the right, an angel is seen playing a portative organ. [4][14] The apple signifies the fall of man, and Christ is taking it from the angel that marks his redemption of humankind. [14]

Sir John Donne, his wife and daughter are gathered around Virgin Mary.[14] Behind the patron, Sir John Donne, Saint Catherine stands next to the wheel upon which she had been martyred.[4][14] A gesture by Saint Catherine suggests that the patron, Sir John Donne, is under her protection.[16]

Near Lady Elizabeth Donne and her daughter, Saint Barbara is depicted standing next to a small tower.[14] Saint Barbara was a well-known saint to be featured in artwork throughout the fifteenth century because of her association with chastity.[16] She is shown making a protective gesture by reaching out toward Elizabeth with one hand while holding the miniature tower in the other.[16]

Both of the female saints, Catherine and Barbara, serve as intercessors to the family, establishing a connection between the members of the Donne family and the Virgin and the Child. [17][14] Moreover, both saints were popular in both England and the Low Countries as they were patron saints to the dying (Saint Catherine) and sudden death (Saint Barbara).[4]

Sir John Donne is honored by the inclusion of two saints, Saint John the Baptist and Saint John the Evangelist, who share his name with him. [12]

Portrait of a man in a red hat standing behind Saint John the Baptist in the left panel

Left panel

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On the left side of the painting, Saint John the Baptist holds a lamb, representing the Lamb of God. [13][18] Saint John the Baptist is the patron saint of baptism, monastics, and converts, among many other things.[19]

There is a man with a red hat behind him who is looking at the family and the Virgin and the Child.[1] Some have argued that the man is the artist's self-portrait.[14]

Saint John the Evangelist, along with a peacock in the background and Donne's coat of arms in the stained glass windows (Right Panel)

Right panel

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On the right side, Saint John the Evangelist is seen with a cup. [20]Saint John the Evangelist is the Patron Saint of love, of loyalty, of friendships, and of authors.[21] In the background, there is a peacock surrounded by a ruined building.[9] Scholars have suggested that the peacock symbolizes as eternity rising.[22]Memling makes use of these abandon in other works, such as Diptych with the Allegory of True Love and Munich Scenes from the Advent and Triumph of Christ. [9]

John the Evangelist can be seen in the shutters in the right panel.[18] He also can be seen making the sign of the cross with a poisoned cup. [13] St. John the Evangelist's presence may have been due to a long medieval tradition of combining the two St. Johns as it's believed that John the Evangelist reinforces the patronage of St. John the Baptist.[5] This is believed due to the sharing of names, but also due to that St. John the Evangelist died on the day that St. John the Baptist was born.[5]



Style and technique (Sean)

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The Donne Triptych exhibits underdrawing that reveals the evolution of its composition, highlighting differences between the underdrawing and the final painting, as well as changes within the underdrawing itself, which provide insights into the creative process of the artist.[23] The style and extent of the underdrawing suggest the use of workshop patterns combined with individualized adjustments for specific commissioned works.[24]

The composition likely relied on pre-existing drawings and workshop patterns for its overall design and intricate details, such as figures and textiles.[25]In the case of commissioned pieces , it was customary to present a drawing or model of the proposed composition to the patron, and the transfer of the design to the panel might have been executed by workshop assistants rather than Memling himself, who likely intervened in areas of the composition without pre-existing models.[26]

Additionally, figures, poses, and design elements were frequently reused in Memling's works and those of his workshop. A recurring design for the cloths of honor appears in the Donne Triptych and three other paintings by Memling, with identical motif sizes indicating a mechanical method of transfer.[27] The repetition and consistency of designs, such as the brocade patterns used in the backgrounds, suggest the employment of a mechanical technique to reproduce these intricate patterns, connecting Memling’s works to broader workshop practices of the time and paralleling the methods of other painters like Stephan Lochner.[28]

Brush Stroke

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Infra-red reflectograms of the Donne Triptych reveal visible brushstrokes in the priming layer beneath the paint, indicating that this layer was applied independently of the final image composition. [29]Notably, there is an absence of the layered gesso preparation typical of fourteenth- and fifteenth-century Italian paintings, such as the coarse "gesso grosso" followed by the fine "gesso sottile." [30]Instead, the panels of the Donne Triptych are crafted from finer-grained, higher-quality wood, which may have diminished the need for a thick ground layer.[31]

Additionally, technical comparisons with early Netherlandish paintings, including those by Memling, show a preference for a thinner priming layer over the ground, contrasting with some Italian practices that utilized thicker preparations, especially in gilded areas or relief designs carved into the ground.[32]The priming layer exhibits a streaky and discontinuous appearance in certain cross-sections, suggesting it was applied with visible brushstrokes, which can be detected through methods such as infra-red reflectograms, X-radiographs, and raking light.[33]


Influence

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Hans Memling was a significant figure in Northern Renaissance painting, celebrated for his intricate oil paintings and portraits that showcase the artistic advancements of the era.[34] He made a notable impact on the evolution of portraiture and religious art, shaping how artists conveyed realism and emotion in their creations.[34] His expertise in oil painting techniques also played a key role in the rise of smaller, portable panel paintings, enabling the production of more personal and intimate artworks.[34]

Memling's artwork clearly illustrates the influence of his contemporaries in the art scene.[35] He drew inspiration from the compositions of Jan van Eyck, a key figure in the Bruges school.[35] Additionally, you can observe elements from artists like Dieric Bouts and Hugo van der Goes, characterized by features like reflective mirrors, intricate tiled floors, elaborately canopied beds, exotic textiles, and richly decorated clothing.[35] Most importantly, Memling shows a deep comprehension of and dependence on the compositions and figure styles pioneered by Rogier van der Weyden.[35]

Provenance

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The triptych was part of the Earl of Burlington in the Chiswick collection that was later received by one of Jone Donne's descendants in Chatsworth in 1892.[9] The National Gallery in London acquired the painting in 1957 from the Duke of Devonshire's Collection.[4]

Not used text

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NOTE: THESE NEXT SENTENCES ART ***NOT *** TO BE INCLUDED, or figure out where it can be added to Donne's page, making sure it is not already there: Sir John Donne was invested as a knight in 1471, and passed away in 1503.[needs a citation] Although there was a rumor about his death in 1469 in the Battle of Edgecote.[needs a citation] He was buried next to Edward IV.[9]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Ainsworth, Maryan W.; Christiansen, Keith (1998). From Van Eyck to Bruegel: Early Netherlandish Painting in The Metropolitan Museum of Art. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art. ISBN 9780300086096. OCLC 39131019.
  2. ^ "Triptych of John the Baptist and John the Evangelist - Memling". EN. Retrieved 2024-12-08.
  3. ^ "Virgin and Child with Saints". Metropolitan Museum of Art. Retrieved May 30, 2014.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "Hans Memling | The Donne Triptych | NG6275.1". National Gallery, London. Retrieved 2024-12-08.
  5. ^ a b c Nelson-Blum, Shirley (1969). Early Netherlandish Triptychs: A Study in Patronage. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. p. 92. ISBN 9780520014442. OCLC 120013.
  6. ^ a b "The Donne Triptych by MEMLING, Hans". www.wga.hu. Retrieved 2024-12-06.
  7. ^ a b c d e f Dubois, Anne (Winter 1994). "The Donne Hours: A Codicological Puzzle". Journal of Historians of Netherlandish Art. 6 (1): 1–23. doi:10.5092/jhna.2014.6.1.2.
  8. ^ Donne Triptych Archived April 25, 2014, at the Wayback Machine. National Gallery. Retrieved May 30, 2014
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Vos, Dirk de (1994). Hans Memling: The Complete Works. Ghent, Belgium: Ludion Press. pp. 180–183. ISBN 9780810936492. OCLC 29877891.
  10. ^ a b The Fifteenth Century XIII: Exploring the Evidence: Commemoration, Administration and the Economy (2nd ed.). Boydell & Brewer. 2014. doi:10.7722/j.ctt6wpb4j.9. ISBN 978-1-84383-944-6.
  11. ^ Ward, Matthew (2016). The Livery Collar in Late Medieval England and Wales: Politics, Identity and Affinity. Woodbridge: The Boydell Press. doi:10.1515/9781782047681. ISBN 978-1-78204-768-1.
  12. ^ a b c Macdonald, Cynthia (Fall 1998). "Heaven Is God's Throne; Earth, His Footstool". Prairie Schooner. 72 (3): 46–60. ISSN 0032-6682.
  13. ^ a b c d e Michaels, Alfred (2007). Hans Memling. New York: Parkstone Press. ISBN 9781844845538.
  14. ^ a b c d e f g h i Dirk, Vos de. One Hundred Great Paintings. National Gallery (Great Britain). ISBN 9780810936492.
  15. ^ a b c Christian, Kathleen R.; Clark, Leah (2017). European Art and the Wider World, 1350–1550. Manchester University Press. pp. 50–51. ISBN 978-1-5261-2290-2. OCLC 1050039882.
  16. ^ a b c Sigler, Lora Ann (1984). Chastity in the Madonna of Jan Vos (MA Thesis). Northridge: California State University.
  17. ^ Govier, Louise Juliet (2010). One Hundred Great Paintings. London: National Gallery. pp. 62–63. ISBN 9781857094930. OCLC 693783547.
  18. ^ a b Langmuir, Erika (2016). "The National Gallery Companion Guide". Credo Reference (2nd ed.). Retrieved 2024-11-15.
  19. ^ "St. John the Baptist | Biography, Patron Saint, Facts, Feast Day, & Death | Britannica". www.britannica.com. 2024-11-11. Retrieved 2024-12-11.
  20. ^ "Now on view at the National Gallery: The Memlinc Triptych from Chatsworth". Illustrated London News. 29 March 1958. p. 498.
  21. ^ Online, Catholic. "St. John the Apostle - Saints & Angels". Catholic Online. Retrieved 2024-12-11.
  22. ^ Vos, Dirk de (1994). Hans Memling: The Complete Works. Ghent, Belgium: Ludion Press. pp. 180–183. ISBN 9780810936492. OCLC 29877891.
  23. ^ "Methods and materials of Northern European painting in the National Gallery, 1400-1550". National Gallery Technical Bulletin. 18: 6–55. 1997. ISSN 0140-7430.
  24. ^ "Methods and materials of Northern European painting in the National Gallery, 1400-1550". National Gallery Technical Bulletin. 18: 6–55. 1997. ISSN 0140-7430.
  25. ^ "Methods and materials of Northern European painting in the National Gallery, 1400-1550". National Gallery Technical Bulletin. 18: 6–55. 1997. ISSN 0140-7430.
  26. ^ "Methods and materials of Northern European painting in the National Gallery, 1400-1550". National Gallery Technical Bulletin. 18: 6–55. 1997. ISSN 0140-7430.
  27. ^ "Methods and materials of Northern European painting in the National Gallery, 1400-1550". National Gallery Technical Bulletin. 18: 6–55. 1997. ISSN 0140-7430.
  28. ^ "Methods and materials of Northern European painting in the National Gallery, 1400-1550". National Gallery Technical Bulletin. 18: 6–55. 1997. ISSN 0140-7430.
  29. ^ "Methods and materials of Northern European painting in the National Gallery, 1400-1550". National Gallery Technical Bulletin. 18: 6–55. 1997. ISSN 0140-7430.
  30. ^ "Methods and materials of Northern European painting in the National Gallery, 1400-1550". National Gallery Technical Bulletin. 18: 6–55. 1997. ISSN 0140-7430.
  31. ^ "Methods and materials of Northern European painting in the National Gallery, 1400-1550". National Gallery Technical Bulletin. 18: 6–55. 1997. ISSN 0140-7430.
  32. ^ "Methods and materials of Northern European painting in the National Gallery, 1400-1550". National Gallery Technical Bulletin. 18: 6–55. 1997. ISSN 0140-7430.
  33. ^ "Methods and materials of Northern European painting in the National Gallery, 1400-1550". National Gallery Technical Bulletin. 18: 6–55. 1997. ISSN 0140-7430.
  34. ^ a b c "Hans Memling Paintings, Bio, Ideas". The Art Story. Retrieved 2024-12-05.
  35. ^ a b c d "Hans Memling | 15th Century Flemish Painter | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 2024-12-06.

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