My life; an overview

Early Life

Relatively little is known about my early life; however it is believed that I was born sometime before 1395. The exact date, however, is unknown. It's believed that I was born in Maaseik, on the edge of Belgium.

Regional Influences

The region in which I painted is considered to be the “early Netherlandish” period in Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, northern France and western Germany. My early work, along with others’, revolutionized the approach towards and realism in northern European painting. Our work closely reflected the natural world, as w depicted figures with a realism that made them more human-looking through the use of emotion that had never been seen before. This was partially due to the new trend of using oil paints, which I started.

Family and Apprenticeships

I had two brothers, Hubert and Lambert, who were both painters, and a sister, Margareta, who was a famous Flemish writer. It was just my brothers, however, that assisted in my workshop. There were others that worked for me as well, but their information has been lost. It is known that up to twelve people were working at any given time. There is one assistant, however, that does stand out – “Master of the Grimacing St. John,” his name given for his work on a diptych of St. John the Baptist and the Virgin Mary.

A Little About My Life...

I was most active in Bruges, and am considered to be one of the most influential Netherlandish (or Flemish) painters. The earliest known recording of my existence, however, was from a payment from The Hague (Netherlands) as a court painter between 1422 and 1424.

After the death of John of Bavaria, I entered the service and became an assistant to Duke Phillip of Burgundy. It's well documented that I spent several years working for the Duke, and was sent on several missions, including one where I arranged a marriage between the Duke and Isabella of Portugal. This was a fantastic job... especially considering how great the pay was! In fact, I was one of the few Flemish painters of my time that didn't depend on individual commissions for my living. The Duke was actually a very prominent figure in my life... he served as the godfather to my children, and even supported my wife long after my death.

I died in Bruges in 1441, and was buried at a church that was later destroyed during the French Revolution.

However, in 1454, Bartolomeo Facio wrote a biography on my life and named me the "leading painter" of my day. Due to this, it is known that many of my works were eventually lost, including a bathing scene and a map that I painted for Phillip the Good. Facio also documented that I was a well-educated man, and even included Latin in my painting, which I likely learned while abroad on missions for the Duke.

What I'm Known For

My motto, “AlC IXH XAN (“I Do as I Can”) is seen on several of the frames for my paintings. I am also known for being one of the revolutionary forces in oil painting, as I perfected the art with a technique called glazing. My paintings consist of incredible detail due to this technique, and it’s one of the reasons I have been deemed one of the best painters of my time.