A multi-disciplinary analysis of the Portrait of Philip the Good in Dijon

Year: 2024

Authors: Verheyen J., Buti D., Cartechini L., Fontana R., Iwanicka M., Raffaelli M., Targowski P.

Autors Affiliation: Katholieke Univ Leuven, Illuminare, Monseigneur Ladeuze pl 21, B-3000 Louvain, Belgium; ISPC, CNR, Via Madonna Piano,10, I-50019 Florence, Italy; SCITEC, CNR, Via Elce Sotto,8, I-06123 Perugia, Italy; INO, CNR, Largo Fermi 6, I-50125 Florence, Italy; Nicolaus Copernicus Univ Torun, Fac Fine Arts, Ul Sienkiewicza 30-32, PL-87100 Torun, Poland; Nicolaus Copernicus Univ, Inst Phys, Fac Phys Astron & Informat, Ul Grudziadzka 5, PL-87100 Torun, Poland.

Abstract: One of the finest fifteenth-century portraits of the Burgundian Duke Philip the Good resides in the Mus & eacute;e des Beaux-Arts in Dijon. This small yet exceptionally crafted panel holds significance for both historians and art historians alike. Surprisingly, prior to this study, the context, the dating and the authorship of the piece remained obscure, and the widely circulated hypothesis of it being a copy of a lost portrait by Rogier van der Weyden has never been corroborated by convincing arguments. Clarifying the context, dating and authorship of the painting were the primary objectives of the investigations discussed in the article. Therefore, this painting underwent a multidisciplinary investigation spanning both the positive and human sciences. Macro-XRF scans were conducted alongside hyperspectral reflectance scans, multispectral imaging in the visible and infrared range, and optical coherence tomography. These analyses were complemented by an art historical study. As a result, a precise delineation between authentic and retouched sections was achieved. This article does not merely present the various perspectives separately but constructs a coherent narrative based on all these foundations. This holistic multidisciplinary research methodology produced a clear account, albeit with some scope for future inquiry. The involvement of the painter Pieter Cristus was conclusively demonstrated. This painter, whether himself personally, an assistant in the workshop or a contemporary follower, is attributed to the genesis of this work, which is presumed to be not the original portrait but a contemporaneous copy, possibly commissioned by the Burgundian Duke himself. While we no longer remain in the dark and have lifted some veils, this study also paves the way for further investigation into this panel and the numerous other portraits of Philip the Good.

Journal/Review: HERITAGE SCIENCE

Volume: 12 (1)      Pages from: 309-1  to: 309-15

More Information: This research has been supported by the project IPERION HS-Integrating Platforms for the European Research Infrastructure ON He ritage Science (project funded by the European Union, H2020-INFRAIA-2019-1, under GA n. 871034). Illuminare, Centre for Medieval and Renaissance Art, KU Leuven University. FWO – The Research Foundation – Flanders, grant nr. 1118322N.
KeyWords: Philip the Good; MA-XRF; Optical coherence tomography; Reflectance imaging spectroscopy; Multispectral reflectography; Patronage of the Burgundian court; Holistic multi-disciplinarity
DOI: 10.1186/s40494-024-01414-y