Robert Campin, known as the Master of Flémalle (c. 1375–1444), and his pupil Rogier van der Weyden (c. 1399–1464) were of crucial importance to the early development of Old Netherlandish painting. Along with Jan and Hubert van Eyck, they explored the visible world through painting, and thanks to oil—a new medium at the time—they were able to depict the details of this world with a realism that had never been seen before: precious brocades, the tears on the cheeks of a grieving Madonna, or snow-covered Alpine peaks on the distant horizon.
The Netherlandish painters of the sixteenth century took previously unfamiliar motifs and made them worthy of painting. Still, these types of mundane details continued to make reference to a transcendental reality, since the age was still deeply influenced by religious concepts. In this monograph, more than fifty masterpieces by teachers and students, on loan from the most important museums in the world, have been assembled side by side, allowing a direct comparison and classification of this hotly debated body of works. (German edition ISBN 978-3-7757-2258-2)
 
Another publication on the Master of Flémalle is available in the Art to Hear series (German edition ISBN978-37757-2365-7; English edition 978-3-7757-2365-7).
 
Exhibition schedule: Städel Museum, Frankfurt am Main, November 21, 2008–February 22, 2009 · Gemäldegalerie, Staaatliche Museen zu Berlin, Kulturforum Potsdamer Platz, March 20–June 21, 2009