426 Painting of Bruges, and the Dresden Gallery contain masterly portraits from the same hand. The Van Eycks appear to have been an artist family. We hear of a sister Margareta, and a brother Lambert, who were skilful painters ; but no work can, with any certainty, be assigned to either of them. The original and realistic mode of treatment introduced by the Van Eycks, and the new method of using oils, were eagerly adopted throughout Europe, and many great artists arose in the Netherlands, of whom Rogier van der Weyden (1399 ? — 1464), known as Roger of Bruges, was the most celebrated. He was the rival and not, as formerly thought, the pupil of Jan van Eyck ; he, however, imbibed much of his manner, whilst in his re- ligious enthusiasm he rather resembled Huibrecht. His colouring is powerful, but not equal to that of the founders of the school ; and, unfortunately, his love of truth some- times led him to cultivate ugliness. Of his numerous works we can only name the principal : the Last Judg- ment (his master-piece), 1443, in the Hospital at Beaune ; an altar-piece representing the Adoration of the Kings; S. Luke painting the Virgin (long attributed to Jan van Eyck), both in the Pinakothek, Munich ; scenes from the Life of S. John the Baptist, in the Berlin Museum ; and an Entombment of Christ, in the National Gallery. To Rogier van der Weyden is said to be due the inven- tion of painting on fixed canvas instead of on panel. He, too, was one of the first of the Early Flemings to visit Italy in search of art. On him it had no deteriorative effect ; but to his successors the course proved fatal in the interests of true art.
