GOES, HUGO VAN DER

(c. 1440-1482)

Considered the most important Flemish master of the second half of the 15th century, Hugo van der Goes is believed to have been born in Ghent where he entered the painters'guildin 1467, withJoos van Ghentacting as his sponsor. In 1474, van der Goes became dean of the guild, and in 1478 he entered the Monastery of the Red Cloister in Soignes, near Brussels, as a lay brother. It is known that before entering the monastery van der Goes was involved in the designing of processional banners and ephemeral commissions related to such events as the funeral of Philip the Good, the entry into Bruges of Charles the Bold, and Charles' marriage to Margaret of York.

Only approximately 15 paintings have been attributed to van der Goes and only thePortinariAltarpiece(c. 1474-1476;Florence, Uffizi) is firmly authenticated (byGiorgio Vasari). This work was commissioned by Tommaso Portinari, an Italian representative of theMedici bankin Bruges, who took the work with him upon his return to Florence, placing it in his chapel in the Church of S. Egidio. There, the work provided inspiration for Italian masters and an example of the Northernoil paintingtechnique and vocabulary. It represents anAdoration of the Shepherdswitnessed by members of Portinari's family. Hierarchic in the placement of the figures and their scale and filled with contrasting idealized and crude figures, the work presents an emotional rendition of the event. No less dramatic is theDormitionof theVirgin(c. 1481; Bruges, Groeningemuseum). Surrounded by theapostles, Mary, in the last moments of earthly existence and with eyes half opened, sees a vision of Christ surrounded by angels in a brilliantly lit sphericalmandorla. Van der Goes suffered a mental breakdown in 1481, which made him melancholic and lethargic, and he died the following year. A fellow brother at the monastery named Gaspar Ofhuys left a written account of van der Goes' illness. Some scholars have attributed the emotive power of the master's paintings to his depression, which must have already manifested itself prior to his attack.