Neither Petrus Christus (1412?-1473), the only master who was directly
influenced by Jan van Eyck, nor Robert Campin (1365-1444), who is now
known to be identical with the so-called “Maître de Flémalle,” and
who was the head of the important Tournai school, are represented
at the Louvre. The official Catalogue ascribes to Campin’s greatest
pupil, Rogier van der Weyden (_c._ 1400-1464), the two panels _The
Virgin and Child_ (No. 2195), and _The Deposition from the Cross_ (No.
2196), of which at least the former is only a school version of an
often repeated theme by the master, whilst the _Deposition_ is by no
means an important example of his work. Rogier was born at Tournai,
but went to Brussels after 1432, and practised in that city until his
death in 1464. A journey to Italy in 1449 did not appreciably affect
his art, which always retained an archaic flavour, especially in the
rather tortured rendering of the nude. In this respect, and also in
his utter disregard of beauty (except the beauty of rhythmic line), he
compares unfavourably with the brothers Van Eyck, as may be clearly
seen on comparing his work with Jan van Eyck’s _Virgin and Donor_. His
occasional use of gold backgrounds, as in the _Virgin and Child_ (No.
2195), is another archaic trait.
The hand of a nameless contemporary and follower of Campin and Rogier
van der Weyden, who is also represented at the Galleries of Vienna,
Turin, and Antwerp, is to be recognised in the small panel of _The
Annunciation_ (No. 2202), which was formerly attributed to the much
later painter Lucas van Leyden, and has also been claimed to be only a
copy of a picture by the Maître de Flémalle.