Jan de Beer and workshop: 'The Virgin and Child Enthroned, with Saints': Lunchtime talk

Interesting lunchtime talk at the National Gallery given by James Heard and looking at “The Virgin and Child enthroned” by Jan de Beer.

This picture dates from a time when prosperity moved from Bruges to Antwerp following a slump in the wool trade and a silting up of the river leading to Bruges. James looked at the picture in the context of the mannerist style by which is it describe but explained that Antwerp mannerism and Italian were not linked except by their elongated and sinuous style.

He also made us think of it in the light of Gossart’s trip to Rome bringing back drawings of classical architecture and this picture combines classical and gothic styles. He talked about the range of work which de Beer undertook which included pageants for the city.

He made us look in detail at the picture going through the saint’s attribution and the northern style of showing the attribute in a naturalist way rather than the Italian style which usually see the saint holding up their attribute. He pointed out that the city in the background is Antwerp complete with scaffolding which dates the picture to before 1521.

I have been to a number of talks by James Heard and he packs information into half an hour just as De Beer packed syllogism into this work.

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