Triptych of Ribeira Brava

The Master of the Holy Blood created this triptych for Ribeira Brava on Madeira around 1515, part of the substantial trade in Flemish altarpieces to Portugal's Atlantic territories. Working from Bruges, this anonymous painter produced devotional works that found eager patronage among the prosperous settlers of Madeira and the Azores. The tempera medium required careful preparation on a gessoed panel and a disciplined layering technique that produced precise, durable surfaces suited to the intricate detail expected of devotional painting.

The triptych demonstrates the refined Bruges workshop technique with luminous color, smooth modeling, and the polished finish characteristic of works destined for the Portuguese export market.