Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy (1396-1467), kneels in prayer in front of his son and successor, Charles the Bold (1433-1477). Detail of fresco, dated 1488, in the Sint-Hubertuskapel (Chapel of Saint Hubert) within the Groot Vleeshuis (Old Meat Hall), the central butchers’ market and guildhall, in Groentenmarkt, Ghent, East Flanders, Belgium.
Ghent, East Flanders, Belgium: Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy (1396-1467), kneels in prayer in front of his son and successor, Charles the Bold (1433-1477), in this detail of the 1448 Nativity fresco on the southwest wall of the Sint-Hubertuskapel (Chapel of Saint Hubert) within the gabled Groot Vleeshuis (Old Meat Hall), the central butchers’ market and guildhall in Groentenmarkt. The Old Meat Hall was built from 1407 to 1419. St. Hubert’s Chapel, consecrated in 1449, occupies a southwest extension. The fresco lay hidden for centuries before its discovery during restoration work in 1855. It was commissioned by wealthy butcher Jacob de Ketelboetere, who held positions in the butchers’ guild. Although the fresco is dated 1448, it is no longer thought to by painter Nabur Martins (1404-1454). The full artwork depicts Mary, Joseph and angels arranged around the newborn Jesus. Philip the Good and Charles the Bold kneel in the left foreground, while Isabella of Portugal (1397-1471), the Duke’s third wife, kneels on the right with Adolph, Duke of Cleves. Philip the Good, a member of the French royal Valois dynasty, was Duke of Burgundy from 1419 until his death. The Burgundian State reached the peak of its prosperity and prestige under his reign. Philip reformed its institutions and was a patron of Flemish artists such as Jan van Eyck. As ruler of many regions such as Flanders, Brabant, Limburg, Holland and Luxembourg, he played a key role in Low Countries history. His son, Charles the Bold, reigned for less than a decade, dying in battle aged 43 in 1477. In those years, he achieved his primary objective of transforming the Burgundian State into a more cohesive kingdom by uniting its northern and southern lands.
Size: 3872px × 2592px
Location: Chapel of St Hubert, Old Meat Hall, Groentenmarkt, Ghent, East Flanders, Belgium.
Photo credit: © Terence Kerr / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
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