Weyden

Weyden commonly refers to Rogier van der Weyden (c. 1399/1400–1464), one of the leading painters of the Early Netherlandish school. Born in Tournai, he trained in the workshop of Robert Campin before moving to Brussels, where he established himself as a premier painter for the Burgundian court. Across his career he produced altarpieces, polyptychs, and portraits that combined Gothic form with advancing naturalism and strong psychological insight.

Style and technique: Rogier van der Weyden is known for expressive gestures, sculpted, elongated figures, and a luminous use of color and light. He helped shape the Northern tradition of oil painting, creating densely composed scenes with careful attention to texture, drapery, and facial emotion. His work often emphasizes devotional intensity and a sense of spiritual immediacy.

Notable works: Descent from the Cross (c. 1435–38) in the Museo del Prado, Madrid, and Saint Luke Drawing the Virgin (c. 1430s–1440s) in the National Gallery, London. These works exemplify his skill at conveying grief, reverence, and narrative clarity through compassionate, restrained composition.

Legacy: Rogier van der Weyden had a lasting influence on Flemish painting and the broader Northern Renaissance. His workshop produced numerous commissions for churches and patrons across the Burgundian Netherlands, shaping subsequent generations of northern artists in their approach to form, emotion, and narrative structure.

Name and spelling: The surname is often rendered van der Weyden or de Weyden; in English-language art history he is most commonly known as Rogier van der Weyden.