Hans Memling's Diptych Of Martin Van Nieuwenhove

Hans Memling lived in Bruges in 1465 where he garnered many commissions from Flemish and foreign citizens. Memling was known for his portrait work and depictions of the Virgin Mary. In his 1487 painting, named Diptych of Martin van Nieuwenhove, Memling combines both of his skills to create a painting that is similar to Campin’s Merode Altarpiece, done between 1425 and 1428. The many comparisons of these paintings show that the Northern Flemish paintings during the Early Renaissance held a persistent style, but Memling’s painting shows progressed style differences in his use of atmospheric perspective, the frames of the painting, and unifying the two images.
Diptych of Martin van Nieuwenhove is a 15th-century diptych that still has its original
In the right wing of Campin’s Merode Altarpiece, the window lets the audience see a city in the distance. Intricately-detailed small figures are shown in the city, one that would be familiar with the 15th century audience. The same style can also be seen with Memling’s painting in both the left and right wings. On the left side, a window is open to the view of a lavish landscape with a road twisting towards the house. Memling uses the atmospheric perspective effect to heighten a viewer’s sense of depth, which Campin did not use. The same can be seen on the right wing, with the window view open to the scene of a well-known bridge and people walking across it. These very small details refer to Campin’s piece by using contemporary, familiar places for his secularized pieces. Memling’s piece is thoroughly more effective in space than Campin’s, though, with his use of atmospheric perspective. By using this technique, the space of the painting seems as if someone on the outside was merely looking through a window onto the scene. The space is three-dimensional, further pointing out the mastery of skill Memling utilized in his