Jan Limbourg
(1385 - 1415) |
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Art Work
| Name: |
Jan Limbourg |
| Gender: |
Male |
| Place of Birth: |
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| Nationality: |
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| Birth: |
1385 |
| Death: |
1415 |
| Website: |
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| Past Auctions: |
Click Here |
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Quick Facts
| Known For: |
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| Medium: |
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| Method: |
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| Style: |
International Gothic book illumination and goldsmith' elegant, graceful works in miniature; landscapes, religious tableaux, and night scenes |
| Fine Art Profession(s): |
Painting
Goldsmith
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Biography
| Herman, Paul, and Jan Limbourg created groundbreaking illuminated manuscripts that became highly influential and continued to inspire artists for centuries after. The brothers were born into a family of Dutch craftsmen, who painted heraldic emblems on shields, banners, and ensigns. Their uncle, Jan Maelwael, worked for the Duke of Burgundy, Philip the Bold, in Dijon and was one of the highest paid artists in France at the time. The brothers, who had trained in Paris, were commissioned by Philip the Bold to create the Bible Moralist (1402-1406), an illustrated manuscript of the Bible. When Philip the Bold died in 1404, the brothers had completed just the first three books, consisting of approximately 384 miniatures. After Philip the Bold's death, his brother, Jean de France, the Duke of Berry, became the Limbourg brothers' patron. The work they produced for him brought them fame, and they became part of the duke's esteemed inner circle of courtiers. One of their most praised works was The Book of Hours of the Duke of Berry (1404-1409), which comprised 172 miniatures, many along unconventional themes. The brothers' piece de resistance. The Very Rich Hours of the Duke of Berry (1412-1416), is the most famous and richly illuminated medieval manuscript in existence. The brothers worked on it until their deaths, which were possibly caused by the plague or were perhaps lost in a war fought to defend the city of Bourges, where they worked. Although incomplete, the manuscript contains one hundred miniatures. It is particularly notable for the twelve illustrations of the months of the year, depicting the lives of farmers, shepherds, peasants, and nobles. as well as landscapes and biblical stories. |
Samples of Work
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