Virgin and Child Crowned by Angels
Colyn de Coter·c. 1490
Historical Context
Colyn de Coter painted this Virgin and Child Crowned by Angels around 1490, one of his large-scale devotional paintings that made him a leading figure in Brussels painting. De Coter worked in the tradition of Rogier van der Weyden and Dieric Bouts, maintaining the refined emotional expression and meticulous technique of the Early Netherlandish masters into the late fifteenth century. His monumental Madonnas served the devotional needs of Brussels churches and confraternities.
Technical Analysis
De Coter's oil on panel demonstrates the polished technique of the Brussels school, with luminous color and precise rendering of the richly decorated textile. The soft modeling of the Virgin's face and the careful rendering of the angels' robes reflect the continuing influence of Rogier van der Weyden's devotional style.
Provenance
Probably Don Luis Portilla, Madrid, by 1880; sold, Madrid, 1880, no. 89 [first suggested by Campbell 1981; then attributed to Rogier van der Weyden, is described as “La Vírgen y el Niño; dos Angeles la coronan y otro presenta al Niño un canastillo de flores” (the Virgin and Child; two angels crown her and another presents a basket of flowers to the Child)]. J. G. Arthur, London [according to Colnaghi stock card]; sold to Colnaghi, London, Dec. 1906, with a half-share owned by Knoedler, Paris and New York [Colnaghi stock card]; sold by Knoedler, New York, to Ryerson, for $15,000, Oct. 31, 1912 [bill of sale, Art Institute Archives]; Martin A. Ryerson (d. 1932), Chicago; on loan to the Art Institute from 1913; bequeathed to the Art Institute, 1933.
