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Donne Triptych

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description Donne Triptych Overview

The Donne Triptych is a small devotional altarpiece painted by Hans Memling around 1478 for the Welsh courtier Sir John Donne. Its central panel shows the Virgin and Child with saints, while Donne, his wife Elizabeth, and their daughter kneel as donors; the outer wings depict additional saints. Painted in oil on oak, it combines private portraiture with Netherlandish religious imagery and is held by the National Gallery in London.

help Donne Triptych FAQ

Who painted the Donne Triptych and where is it now?

The Donne Triptych was painted by the Early Netherlandish artist Hans Memling around 1478. It is currently housed in the National Gallery in London, where it has been part of the collection since the nineteenth century.

Who was Sir John Donne in the Donne Triptych?

Sir John Donne was a Welsh courtier and diplomat who served under King Edward IV of England and commissioned the triptych as a devotional altarpiece. He is depicted kneeling with his wife Elizabeth Hastings and one of their daughters as donor portraits on the side panels of the painting.

What is depicted on the central panel of the Donne Triptych?

The central panel of the Donne Triptych shows the Virgin and Child enthroned, flanked by saints including Saint Catherine and Saint Barbara. The outer wings of the triptych depict additional saints in grisaille when closed, a standard convention for Netherlandish altarpieces of this period.

How big is the Donne Triptych by Hans Memling?

The Donne Triptych is relatively small, consistent with its function as a devotional altarpiece for private rather than public ecclesiastical use. Its dimensions allow it to be portable, and its detailed oil technique is characteristic of Memling's refined Late Gothic style in fifteenth-century Bruges.

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