Hans Memling
Hans Memling was a prominent German painter active primarily in Bruges, Belgium, during the late 15th century. Born between 1430 and 1440 in Seligenstadt, Germany, Memling is celebrated for his portraits and religious artworks, which garnered him substantial patronage and wealth. His early training likely included an apprenticeship with renowned artist Rogier van der Weyden in Brussels. Memling became a citizen of Bruges in 1465 and quickly rose to prominence, securing commissions from various religious institutions and wealthy citizens.
His notable works include the altarpiece for Angelo Tani, the portrait "Man with a Roman Coin," and various altarpieces for St. John's Hospital. Memling's paintings are characterized by detailed backgrounds and innovative compositions, leading to his recognition as one of the best painters of his time. He was married to Anna de Valkenaere and had three children before her death in 1487. By the time of his passing in 1494, he was one of Bruges's wealthiest citizens, and his impact on the art world can be seen in the works of later artists influenced by his style. Today, around one hundred of his paintings are preserved in museums worldwide.
Hans Memling
Painter
- Born: c. 1430–1440
- Place of Birth: Seligenstadt, Germany
- Died: August 11, 1494
- Place of Death: Bruges, Belgium
Significance: Hans Memling, sometimes spelled Memlinc, was a German painter who spent much of his career working in what is now Belgium. Memling was known for his portraits and his religious paintings, which he produced for his many patrons. The painter enjoyed great popularity during his life, and he was one of the wealthiest citizens in Bruges when he died in 1494.
Early Life
Little is known about Memling's early life. It is believed that he was born sometime between 1430 and 1440 in Seligenstadt, Germany. Art historians think that he probably trained with artists in Cologne when he was young. It is thought that Memling was an apprentice for painter Rogier van der Weyden in Brussels, Belgium, for a time.
Evidence from the household records of Margaret of Austria, regent of the Netherlands, from 1515 also suggests that Memling and van der Weyden even worked together. The regent's records describe an altarpiece with a center painted by van der Weyden and the wings painted by "master Hans."
Some historians believe that the two painters worked together until van der Weyden's death in 1465. That same year, Memling became a citizen of Bruges.
Life's Work
After settling in Bruges, Memling quickly became one of the area's most well-known painters. One of his first known commissioned works was a large altarpiece for Angelo Tani, a bank representative from Florence, Italy, in 1467. Last Judgement was 86 inches (220 centimeters) high by 118 inches (300 centimeters) wide. Memling soon had commissions from various religious institutions as well as requests for paintings from wealthy citizens of Bruges and even a few members of the nobility.
Much of Memling's work focused on portraiture. The painter had many Italian clients who appreciated his unique style. For example, Memling was among the first artists to put detailed backgrounds in his portraits. The portrait Man with a Roman Coin (c. 1480) includes an entire landscape behind the subject. In the background, one can spot palm trees, swans swimming in a lake, and even a man riding on horseback. Historians are uncertain of the subject of the Man with a Roman Coin's identity, although some suspect it might have been the Italian humanist Bernardo Bembo, who spent some time in Bruges in 1473. Memling was also known to do work for Italian bank representative Tommaso Portinari. In the early 1470s, the artist painted portraits for Portinari's family members. Memling also produced Scenes from the Passion of Christ (c. 1470–1471) for Portinari and his wife.
Later in the 1470s, Memling painted altarpieces for St. John's Hospital. These included St. John's Retable and Triptych of Jan Floreins, both completed in 1479. A triptych is a painting that is usually done in three hinged panels. Into the 1480s, Memling painted several other altarpieces for the clergy at St. John's Hospital.
There was an economic depression in Bruges in the early 1480s. However, Memling did not seem to be too affected by this. Documents suggest that he hired some apprentices during this time. One of these apprentices may have been Michel Sittow, who later became a master painter in his own right.
Work on altarpieces continued during much of the 1480s. Memling received a commission from the Moreel family for the Triptych of Jan Moreel in 1484. The reverse wings of this piece show the figures of St. John the Baptist and St. George.
Last Works
Some of Memling's final works became some of his most well known. One of these is a reliquary commissioned by Jacosa van Dudzeele and Anna van den Moortele, two nuns from St. John's Hospital. A reliquary is a container in which religious relics are kept. The piece, called the Shrine of St. Ursula (1489), contains multiple panels adorning the outside of the container, which is designed to resemble a church. Memling even featured the nuns who commissioned the reliquary in one of his panels, showing them kneeling before the Virgin Mary.
Memling's last known commission was the Passion Triptych, completed in 1491 for the Greverade family of Germany. Experts believe that this piece is the only one of Memling's triptych pieces to have two sets of wings. This meant that the piece could be shown in different ways, depending on the position of the wings. Because this was not a common feature in Memling's other triptychs, experts believe the double wings may have been popular in Germany at the time and were unique to this particular commission.
Memling died on August 11, 1494, in Bruges. He was one of the town's wealthiest citizens at the time of his death, and his work as a painter was renowned both in Belgium and in many other European countries. When he passed, Memling was thought by some to be one of the best painters in all of Christendom.
Impact
Memling was one of the most productive artists of his time. About one hundred of his paintings survived into the modern era, and they are featured in museums around the world. His work likely influenced many other artists, including painters Gerard David, Quentin Matsys, and Joos van Cleve. Although some critics in the twentieth century argued that Memling's work was too similar to that of his mentors, he was considered one of the best artists of his time.
Personal Life
Memling married Anna de Valkenaere sometime between 1470 and 1480. The couple had three children together before her death in 1487.
Bibliography
"Hans Memling." The 100 Most Influential Painters & Sculptors of the Renaissance, edited by Kathleen Kuiper, Britannica Educational Publishing with Rosen Educational Services, 2010, pp. 102–06.
"Hans Memling—The Annunciation." The Met, www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/437490. Accessed 10 Oct. 2024.
"Hans Memling—Biography." Flemish Primitives, vlaamseprimitieven.vlaamsekunstcollectie.be/en/research/webpublications/hans-memling-biography. Accessed 10 Oct. 2024.
"Memling, Hans (c. 1430–94)." The Late Medieval Age of Crisis and Renewal, 1300–1500: A Biographical Dictionary, edited by Clayton J. Drees, Greenwood Press, 2001, pp. 351–52.
Strauss, David Levi. "Memling's Faces." The Met, 20 May 2024, www.metmuseum.org/perspectives/david-levi-strauss. Accessed 10 Oct. 2024.
Streissguth, Tom. "Memling, Hans (1430–1494)." The Greenhaven Encyclopedia of the Renaissance, edited by Konrad Eisenbichler, Greenhaven P, 2008, p. 211.