Memling

Hans Memling (ca.1430-1494) Hans Memling, one of the main Flemish primitive painters, was born between 1430 and 1440 in Seligenstadt near Frankfurt. He journeyed to Flanders presumably by route way of Cologne. After an apprenticeship with Rogier van der Weijden in Brussels, he settled in the prosperous town of Bruges, which at the time was the seat of the Duke of Burgundy. He became a popular painter. His portraits were very gracious and he was one of the first to replace the traditional dark background with interiors or spacious landscapes. His mystical ideals led to a contemplative approach that emphasised balance and symmetry.