Painting of the 15th and early 16th Century in the Southern Low
Countries is a brilliant high point in the history of art. These
painters are generally referred to as the "Flemish primitives".
It is an artistic flourishing period that is distinguished by a
highly-permeating refinement of oil painting and by an
assiduousness to reproduce the visible world in as detailed
manner as possible. This realism is also applied to the
religious imagery or iconography. Moreover, the Flemish
primitives emphasise a previously unseen religious expressivity
that ushers in a new tradition in painting. The commissions not
only came from the various courts and religious institutions,
but also from the cities and their citizenry. For the first
time, the painter received a very prominent position in the
society. Through contacts amongst Flanders, Northern Italy and
other regions on the continent, this typical Flemish art of
painting influenced all of Europe. For this website, inevitable
choices were made over which artists from t