
 Nancy Yakimoski in The Virgin’s Peculiar Breast: Negotiating Nudity in Devotional Paintings discusses artwork’s influence of the Catholic Church in Europe. One of the paintings Yakimoski mentioned was done by Flemish artist Robert Campin, The Virgin and Child before a Firescreen in the early 15th century.  The Catholic Church had high influence over influential artist. Robert Campin’s skill set blending with the Catholic Church’s influence, created prominence for himself while furthering the Church’s.

Yakimoski identifying Campin’s the Virgin and Child before a Firescreen introduces a new style of art that the other artist she wrote about did not use. She acknowledges, “To highlight the need for symbolism and distancing techniques in order to deter transgressive gazes, it is useful to compare a detail of Fei’s painting of a denaturalized and disembodied breast with the Netherlandish painter Robert Campin and his use of naturalism” (251). It is Robert Campin’s inclination to use naturalism that is important. Robert Campin was approximately sixty years after Fei’s Madonna series, but due to the factors of location and trends, we do not see any similarities other than the connection to the Church (Yakimoski 251). While most painters mentioned by Yakimoski are Italian, it is the Dutch painter who brings the most emotion into the artwork. Realism is a believable portrayal of the visible world. It is from Northern realism that a major shift of philosophy can be witnessed, with areas such as the Netherlands moving closer towards accurately portraying the visuals. The reason for Campin’s use of realism is that in Flemish art, due to, religious, economic, social, political, and historical issues there was a shift and demand for realism (Harbison 588). Campin is the outlier that Yakimoski uses, the one artist mentioned who did not strive to denaturalize his painting. Robert Campin merely filled in the demand of the Dutch society, and kept up with the trends. Robert Campin’s the Virgin and Child Before a Firescreen, from design, is meant to invite spiritual nourishment to the faithful, and meets popular demand of the Flemish 15th century to garner both a religious message and remain relevant to its viewers (Yakimoski 251, Harbinson 588). It was this adaptability that increased the Catholic Church’s popularity and spread their views. 

Robert Campin is also regarded as the Master of Flemalle and by some the Master of Merode. There are doubts over his claim as the Master of Merode because of timing conflicts. Some historians believe that it was created from other Dutch artist who studied under Campin and used similar techniques. Campin was still credited to this work from a series of comparisons by art historians of the 19th century. Passavant and Bode, both historical painters, studied Robert Campin’s work and compared the Merode to the same painting Yakimoski used, The Virgin and Child Before a Firescreen (Campbell). Then by another historical painter, Von Tschudi, there were further comparisons that credited Campin with the Flemalle series (Campbell). This proves the Campin has a very similar style with most paintings that he does not deviate from. His methods and styles are so constant that Frinta, an Ivy League expert on Flemish art of the 15th century, can analyze his work and decipher what was done by Campin’s hand or what was done by his assistants. Works such as the Nativity located in Dijon, where it is largely done by Campin with an assistant working on the left-hand landscape which consisted of the shed of the hut, three angels, the middle shepherd, and the right leg of a midwife. Other works like this is the Virgin and Child located in London where everything except the Virgin’s hair, sleeves and the Child’s feet, eyes and linen which were radically altered from Campin’s original design.  Robert Campin’s work carried preciseness and a sense of perfectionism. His other work with the Catholic Church is comparable to one another. Campin has a fondness for certain techniques that Blum credits Frinta for describing as, “the basic stylistic features of Campin’s work” (Blum 435). These styles include Campin’s relief-like space, objects projected from the rear plane, overlapping avoided as much as possible, in order to limit and clear space. Campin also restrains his relief concept to a degree through the use of two-dimensional pattern. His use of high saturated rich colors is isolated mainly in the garments and accessories to produce a greater level of contrast. Then the rich colors are combined with neutral colors in the background of his art. The flesh tones are usually a cool tone and it is noted by Frinta that Campin has a fondness for cool tones. Through the use of lighting Campin produces even more contrast that enables the use of shadows to provide a sense of volume. The artificial lighting method is critical to Campin’s work. The figures themselves are tangible and robust, from his own observation, this allows Campin to depict figures with immense realism. His people express deep emotion and heavy features that create the realism he so craves. Throughout all of Campin’s religious work, from The Virgin and Child Before a Firescreen to others such as Annunciation we see these common trends. By the 1430’s Campin had fully mastered anatomical structure and he used this mastership to produce emotion in his viewers (Blum 435). This is why in Yakimoski’s writing Campin was included. Campin’s separated himself from the Italian painters by producing realistic art that still brought about the same emotions as their denaturized work. Campin’s use of realism brings about humility in a natural way, which was one of the goals of the Catholic Church’s artist. However, he overcame the fear of a realistic painting looked at in a carnal view by producing such realism that it could only be looked at with a pure and pious gaze. 

Campin was an influential figure during the 15th century. Campin was born in the late 1370’s and died in 1444, however during this short time he rose to prominence. Campbell says, “Though recorded only at Tournai, where he is first mentioned in 1405-06, he seems not to have been born there. In 1410 he purchased citizen’s rights” (Campbell 634). In Tournai, Campin flourished, he bought and sold properties that by 1420 left him to be accounted as one of the notables in his parish. In 1423 or 1424 he was labeled as sub-Dean of the Corporation of Goldsmiths and Painters. From 1425-1427 he was captain of his quarter and procurator of the Convent of the Haute-Vie, and became on of the six Clerks of the Accounts of the city. By 1428 Campin was warden of the church of Saint-Pierre. For Campin though, it did not last, he was fined and sentenced to make a pilgrimage to Saint-Gilles in Provence in 1429. In 1432 he was once again summoned for a scandalous private life and was sentenced a year of banishment from the parish. This was later reviewed and reduced to a fine from the intervention of Margaret of Burgundy, Countess Dowager of Hainault and Holland (Campbell 634). Campin was deemed to valuable to be removed and still received commissions after the events of 1429 and 1432. After the events of 1432, Campin’s apprentices whom he taught at the Tournai Guild went on to become masters of the Guild themselves. Even then Campin was still sought after by the Catholic Church, receiving payment in 1433. He was later called upon to execute decorative work in 1434 for the church of Saint-Nicolas. In 1438 he was commissioned to illustrate the life of St. Peter for the chapel of Saint-Pierre. His last known work was a heraldic banner in 1441. Campin was viewed as an exceptional painter, Campbell mentions, “Campin was clearly an active painter, entrusted with important commissions at Tournai even after his disgraces of 1429 and 1432” (Campbell 637). The Countess of Hainault knew with Campin’s skill and influence he would be called to work again. The Catholic Church also knew about Campin’s skill and influence. This lead to his repetitive work within the church such as the one Yakimoski mentions. The Virgin Before a Firescreen was a different approach in the image of Mary but was the same approach Campin did with all his works and it was accepted because the Catholic Church knew that Campin had a large following. While it does not denature like most religious paintings the Catholic Church still wanted it completed by Campin in order to extend their reach out to those who admire his work. Campin’s influence is to such a degree that his artwork is still viewed and discussed today with many 20th century historians viewing his work. Robert Campin has work spanning all across Europe, from his own country of the Netherlands to countries such as England and Spain.

Robert Campin furthered his own influence and the influence of the Catholic Church through his artwork. The Renaissance delivered a boom of art and philosophy and Robert Campin confirms and personifies those traits. Campin was only a small part of the Renaissance but still helped shaped the image of the Catholic Church. There is importance in understanding the impact the Catholic Church has had on society. The church has created a ripple that it still felt in the 21st century. Historians still do not know every detail of the 15th century and while some of Campin’s credit may be disputed, he still has reason to be included in the list of prominent Dutch painters.
