The Flemish Masters. From Eyck to Bruegel spans nearly a century and a half in painting, from around 1430 to the death of Pieter Bruegel the Elder in 1569. During this time period, painting in the Low Countries reached an unprecedented boom. This richly illustrated book offers a representative overview of the most important and influential painters of the time and of all the artistic genres that developed or innovated in this region.
 

The author sets out to identify what made these paintings so new and unusual. By describing them thematically as well as by generation, insights arise into the different styles, formats, functions and genres, and the artistic and social context in which they were created. In any case, these painters knew each other's works well. They often borrowed from each other and then did something new with it themselves. Artistic cross-pollination was fundamental.
 

Matthias Depoorter is a writer and art historian.