The art of the Netherlandish region in the fifteenth century constitutes one of the most important moments in Western art history. Yet, for various reasons, the art of this period has persistently been seen largely from the perspective of its relationship to contemporary art in Italy. A review of the accomplishments of the Netherlandish painters demonstrates, however, that their work was not important primarily in relation to the art of other regions. This great flourishing of painting had its beginnings in the courtly art of the International Gothic style that flourished at the Burgundian court. The poorly documented artists of the early part of the century, such as Robert Campin and the Master of FlTmalle, influenced the great generation of van Eyck and van der Weyden. These artists in turn were the source of the new approach to painting that thrived throughout the century in Bruges, Ghent, Haarlem, and many other cities. The Netherlandish painters are credited with the invention and development of the technique of oil painting as well as with various innovations such as the new self-consciousness of the artist, the professionalization of painting, significant contributions to the arts of portraiture and landscape painting, and a novel approach to pictorial realism. In all these respects, the painters of the fifteenth century had an enormous influence on the art of Europe in the centuries to come. Even leaving questions of impact aside, they created in a limited time and place, an astonishingly vibrant visual culture of a complexity and quality that is seldom seen in such concentration.
This visual culture included much more than panel painting, and there were certainly important connections among the various forms of art as can be seen from the few surviving examples. The work of the Netherlandish sculptor Claus Sluter (1360-1406), for example, with its expressive figures, dramatically deep undercutting, and (long vanis...