Painting in Flanders, from the Early Netherlandish masters such as Jan van Eyck to the Baroque of Rubens and Van Dyck.
c. 1400 – 1700Flanders (today mainly Belgium)12 key artists
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Overview
What is Flemish School?
c. 1400 – 1700Period
Flanders (today mainly Belgium)Began in
12Key artists on this page
12Works with free images
9Museums to visit
Flemish painting flourished from the early 15th century until the 17th century, gradually becoming distinct from the painting of the rest of the Low Countries, especially the modern Netherlands. In the early period, up to about 1520, the painting of the whole area is (especially in the Anglophone world) typically considered as a whole, as Early Netherlandish painting. This was dominated by the Flemish south, but painters from the north were also important. Dutch and Flemish Renaissance painting, of which Antwerp became the centre, covers the period up to about 1580 or later, by the end of which the north and south Netherlands had become politically separated. Flemish Baroque painting was especially important in the first half of the 17th century, dominated by Rubens. In theory the term does not refer to modern Flanders but to the County of Flanders and neighbouring areas of the Low Countries such as the Tournaisis and Duchy of Brabant.From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Original Art Movements text
This is the text that appeared on this page on the original Art Movements site. It is kept for reference; some statements are simplified or out of date. Where it differs from the overview, characteristics and dates above, which are checked against Wikipedia and Wikidata, trust those instead.
Characterised by idealism and experimentation with perspective, Flemish Art thrived in the 15th century with artists such as Jan van Eyck, Rogier van der Weyden, Hans Memling and Dirk Bouts. They specialised in portrait painting with religious themes and complicated iconography.
In the 16th century travel to Italy became easier resulting in many of the Flemish artists beginning to display techniques learnt from the Renaissance artists and architects. Key figures at this time included Patenier, Elsheimer and Massys.
The Garden of Earthly Delights by Hieronymus Bosch · Wikimedia Commons · Public domain
Period
c. 1400 – 1700
Began in
Flanders (today mainly Belgium)
Key artists
Peter Paul Rubens, Hieronymus Bosch, Jan van Eyck, Rogier van der Weyden
Related
Renaissance, Baroque, Classicism
How to recognise it
Key characteristics of Flemish School
Painstaking detail and precise textures, made possible by oil glazes
Rich, glowing colour built up in thin translucent layers
Religious altarpieces, portraits and, later, landscapes, still lifes and scenes of everyday life
In the 17th century, energetic Baroque compositions led by Peter Paul Rubens
A thriving art market centred on Bruges and later Antwerp
Timeline
When was Flemish School?
Flemish School is usually dated c. 1400 – 1700, beginning in Flanders (today mainly Belgium). Dates for art movements are approximate: artists joined and left, and styles overlapped.
Each bar shows an artist's life; the shaded band is the main period of Flemish School.
Robert Campin
Jan van Eyck
Dieric Bouts
Hugo van der Goes
Hieronymus Bosch
Gerard David
Quinten Metsys
Jan Brueghel the Elder
Peter Paul Rubens
Jacob Jordaens
Flemish School
1375–1444
1390–1441
1415–1475
1440–1482
1450–1516
1460–1523
1466–1530
1568–1625
1577–1640
1593–1678
140014501500155016001650
Who
Key Flemish School artists
Artists linked to Flemish School in Wikidata, ordered by how widely they are covered on Wikipedia. Artists marked Art Icons have a full profile on our sister site.
Painting in Flanders, from the Early Netherlandish masters such as Jan van Eyck to the Baroque of Rubens and Van Dyck.
When was Flemish School?
Flemish School: c. 1400 – 1700. It began in Flanders (today mainly Belgium). Dates for art movements are approximate.
What are the main characteristics of Flemish School?
Painstaking detail and precise textures, made possible by oil glazes; Rich, glowing colour built up in thin translucent layers; Religious altarpieces, portraits and, later, landscapes, still lifes and scenes of everyday life; In the 17th century, energetic Baroque compositions led by Peter Paul Rubens; A thriving art market centred on Bruges and later Antwerp.
Who are the most famous Flemish School artists?
Peter Paul Rubens, Hieronymus Bosch, Jan van Eyck, Rogier van der Weyden, Hans Memling.
What are some famous Flemish School works?
The Garden of Earthly Delights by Hieronymus Bosch; Arnolfini Portrait by Jan van Eyck; Ghent Altarpiece by Jan van Eyck; The Blind Leading the Blind by Pieter Brueghel the Elder; The Descent from the Cross by Rogier van der Weyden.
Where can I see Flemish School art?
Museo del Prado (Madrid, Spain), Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York, United States), National Gallery (London, United Kingdom), St Bavo's Cathedral (Ghent, Belgium), Museo di Capodimonte (Naples, Italy) hold works shown on this page.
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