Title: Saint Luke Portraying the Virgin
Date: first quarter of the 16th century
Medium: Oil on oak panel
Dimensions:51.9 x 37.3 cm
Credit Line: Purchased, 1866
Object Number: NGI.4
ProvenanceKing William II of Holland; Van Cleef; Comte Raynal de Choiseul-Praslin, Paris; his sale, Drouot's, Paris, 12-14 March 1866, lot 16
Exhibition HistoryCentenary Exhibition, National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin, October - December 1964
Rogier van der Weyden, ca.1400-1464 - Master of Passions, Artes, Leuven, 20 September - 6 December 2009
Willem II & Anna Pavlovna - Royal Splendour at the Dutch Court, Dordrechts Museum, Dordrecht, 5 March - 16 June 2014; Villa Vauban - Musée d'Art de la Ville de Luxembourg, Luxembourg, 12 July - 12 October 2014
Label TextThis painting is one of several partial copies after Saint Luke Portraying the Virgin by the Flemish painter Rogier van der Weyden (Museum of Fine Arts, Boston). This renowned painting represents the apostle-evangelist sketching the Virgin who is suckling the Christ Child. The subject, which was based on a legend dating back to the fourth century, was popular among Flemish painters of the fifteenth century, who had appropriately adopted Saint Luke as their patron. An unidentified coat of arms has been painted on the back of the panel, suggesting that this copy belonged to a prominent collection in the fifteenth century.