Patrick Bade
Flemish Painting
Summary
In the first half of the 15th century, a great revolution in Western art occurs wherein artists begin engaging with the real world, and trying to give a much more convincing picture of it. This takes place simultaneously in two different places: in Florence and in Flanders in the North. Patrick Bade discusses the Flemish side of this revolution and the eventual convergence with what was simultaneously happening in Italy.
Patrick Bade
Patrick Bade is a historian, writer, and broadcaster. He studied at UCL and the Courtauld Institute of Art. He was a senior lecturer at Christie’s Education for many years and has worked for the Art Fund, Royal Opera House, National Gallery, and V&A. He has published on 19th- and early 20th-century paintings and historical vocal recordings. His latest book is Music Wars: 1937–1945.
Yes, he does. Look, again, I’d really like you to, recommend again this wonderful picture, “Sexuality of Christ in Renaissance Art”. If you Google that, it will come up. It was a bestseller in the 1980s, and it will really explain a lot to you about this whole question of how the Baby Jesus is represented and very often shown naked. And very often I think somewhat disturbingly to us, he’s shown with an upper garment that’s being lifted by the Virgin to expose his genitalia. And sometimes she’ll be pointing to the genitalia or touching it. But that, as I said, if you read that book, all will be explained to you.
Well, quite a number, it’s interesting that quite a number of the works I talked about tonight were commissioned by wealthy merchants. And that would’ve been a new thing in the 15th century. But certainly aristocracy and the Catholic Church were commissioning the bulk of the work.
No, no it isn’t. There are plenty of Italians, artists who paint the Virgin in blue; blue and red, actually.