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Considered one of the last major fifteenth-century Bruges painters, Gerard David navigated political upheaval and economic disruption to forge a highly successful career. His rich palette, descriptive brushwork, and sensitive revisions of poplar subjects influenced contemporaries and early sixteenth century followers. According to his epitaph in the Church of Our Lady in Bruges, David was born in Oudewater, a town near Gouda in the northern Netherlands. Following early training, probably in the artistic center of Haarlem, David settled in Bruges and registered as a master in the image makers’ and saddlers’ guild in 1484. In Bruges, he carried out civic commissions as well as other significant projects over the following decade, notably altarpieces for local and foreign patrons that demonstrate his command of large-scale figures and compelling narratives amplified through splendid color. In 1509, he joined the prestigious Bruges confraternity of the Madonna of the Dry Tree. David studied human expression and physiognomy in metal point drawings, which became the basis for his characterful heads in multifigure compositions. The artist maintained close relations with manuscript illuminators, exchanging patterns and cooperating on the production of miniatures for luxurious books. As Bruges’s economic fortunes declined in the early years of the sixteenth century, David looked further afield for new markets. In 1515, he became a member of the Guild of Saint Luke in the burgeoning port city of Antwerp, although he apparently remained based in Bruges. David’s style after 1515 was intended to appeal to the taste of his new buyers in Antwerp. This last phase of his career includes some of his most innovative and emotionally affecting works.
Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, California
The J. Paul Getty Trust, Los Angeles, California
Acknowledgements for Artist/Maker Biography
Text provided by the J. Paul Getty Museum. Licensed under CC BY 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
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