A well-dressed woman, hands folded in prayer, kneels in what was once the right wing of a triptych (a painting in three parts). Behind her is Saint Paul. The other wing, also in the National Gallery’s collection, shows her husband kneeling with Saint Peter. The central panel is missing, but it was presumably a scene from sacred history. We don't know who the two donors were, but they were clearly wealthy people.
On the back, visible when the altarpiece was closed, is Saint Nicholas of Myra, painted in grisaille (shades of black, white and grey) to look like a stone statue in a niche. The paintings on these wings were the work of several artists influenced by Gerard David, probably working in one of the larger Bruges workshops in around 1515.
A well-dressed woman, hands folded in prayer, kneels in what was once the right wing of a triptych (a painting in three parts). Behind her is Saint Paul. Her husband kneels in the other wing, with Saint Peter behind him. The central panel is missing.
We don't know who the two donors were, but they were clearly wealthy people. The lady wears a black or dark grey dress, lined with whitish fur. Hanging from her golden belt is a long and expensive rosary of 60 red (possibly coral) beads and seven large yellow ones, perhaps meant as gold, and a gold cross.
On the back, visible when the altarpiece was closed, is Saint Nicholas of Myra, painted in grisaille to look like a stone statue in a niche. Although one of the most widely venerated of Christian saints almost nothing is known of the life of this Turkish bishop. His life is a series of fantastic events, often related to his generosity or his abilities as a miracle worker. Here he restores to life three boys, killed by a butcher; they had been chopped up and hidden in a pickling tub.
The paintings on these panels were the work of several artists influenced by Gerard David, probably working in one of the larger Bruges workshops in around 1515.
