Rogier van der Weyden

Mint condition

Several masterpieces have been meticulously conserved and restored for the exhibition. Amongst these are:
 

• The Seven Sacraments (1440-1445)

The absolute masterpiece of the exhibition. The thorough conservation and restoration work began in 2006.

Collection: Royal Museum of Fine Arts, Antwerp. 
Restoration: Dr. Griet Steyaert. 
Where: The restoration is being conducted at the Royal Museum of Fine Arts, Antwerp and can be observed by the general public. 
Duration: 3 years (2006-2009). 
Funding: InBev-Baillet Latour Fund.

• The Edelheere Altarpiece (1443) 

The oldest copy of Van der Weyden’s famous Deposition. He painted the work for the chapel of Our Lady of Ginderbuiten in Leuven, which has since been destroyed. The painting is currently housed in the Prado (Madrid). In 1443, Willem Edelheere commissioned an unknown artist to copy the Deposition for his chapel in Saint Peter’s Church.
 
Collection: M Leuven. 
Restoration: Dr. Hélène Dubois. 
Where: Royal Institute for Cultural Heritage, Brussels. 
Duration: 1.5 years (2008-2009). 
Funding: City of Leuven and Flemish Community.

• The Annunciation (1428)

Two life-sized statues of the Angel Gabriel and Mary, scuplted Jean Declemer (active after c. 1428 to 1459). The sculptor was working in Tournai when the young Van der Weyden began his career as a painter there. The restoration revealed traces of the original polychrome, which appears to be the work of Robert Campin (c. 1375-1444), Rogier van der Weyden’s master. It is an important discovery that reveals the painter’s network and illustrates the interaction between painting and sculpture in the 15th century.

Collection: Cathedral of Our Lady, Tournai. 
Restoration: Lieselotte Hoornaert and Camille De Clercq. 
Where: Royal Institute for Cultural Heritage, Brussels. 
Funding: InBev-Baillet Latour Fund.

Curator: prof. dr. Jan Van der Stock, Illuminare - Centre for the Study of Medieval Art (KU Leuven)