André Beauneveu
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

André Beauneveu (born c. 1335 in
Valenciennes Valenciennes (, also , , ; ; or ; ) is a communes of France, commune in the Nord (French department), Nord Departments of France, department, Hauts-de-France, France. It lies on the Scheldt () river. Although the city and region experienced ...
, died c.1400 in
Bourges Bourges ( ; ; ''Borges'' in Berrichon) is a commune in central France on the river Yèvre (Cher), Yèvre. It is the capital of the Departments of France, department of Cher (department), Cher, and also was the capital city of the former provin ...
) was an
Early Netherlandish Early Netherlandish painting is the body of work by artists active in the Burgundian and Habsburg Netherlands during the 15th- and 16th-century Northern Renaissance period, once known as the Flemish Primitives. It flourished especially in the ...
sculptor and painter, born in the
County of Hainaut The County of Hainaut ( ; ; ; ), sometimes spelled Hainault, was a territorial lordship within the medieval Holy Roman Empire that straddled the present-day border of Belgium and France. Its most important towns included Mons, Belgium, Mons (), n ...
(Valenciennes is today in France), who is best known for his work in the service of the French King Charles V, and of the Valois Duke,
Jean de Berry John of Berry or John the Magnificent (French language, French: ''Jean de Berry'', ; 30 November 1340 – 15 June 1416) was Duke of Berry and Rulers of Auvergne, Auvergne and Count of Poitiers and Montpensier. His brothers were King Charles ...
. His work in all media shows a generally naturalistic and 'sculptural' style, characteristic of the 'Pucellian revival' of the latter 14th century.By far the must up-to-date and comprehensive account of Beauneveu's life and work is the excellent catalogue from the recent exhibition at the Groeningemuseum;
Susie Nash Susie Nash is the Deborah Loeb Brice Professor of Renaissance Art at the Courtauld Institute, London. After studying at the University of Reading (BA 1986, PhD 1993) she has been at the Courtauld. She is an expert on the art of the Northern Renais ...
, Till-Holger Borchert and Jim Harris, ''No Equal in Any Land: Andre Beauneveu, Artist to the Courts of France and Flanders'', Paul Holberton Publishing, 2007


Biography

As with all northern European artists of this period, reliable biographical information about Beauneveu is extremely sparse, being mainly limited to a few mentions in the financial accounts of his patrons. The earliest documentary reference to "Master Andrew the Painter" (assumed to be Beauneveu) appears in the accounts of Duchess Yolande de Bar in 1359, where he is recorded as working on the decoration of a chapel in her castle at
Nieppe Nieppe (; ) is a Communes of France, commune in the Nord (French department), Nord Departments of France, department in northern France. It is in the Lys Plain and a portion of it is in the Leie, Lys Valley (Leiedal in Dutch). Population Geogra ...
(destroyed). By 1364 he was in Paris, as part of an extensive artistic workshop employed by King Charles V, who refers to him as ''our esteemed Andreu Bauneveu our sculptor'' (see below for details of the work he undertook for the King). No documentary evidence survives for Beauneveu's whereabouts between 1367 and 1372. It has been suggested, based on comments by his contemporary and fellow Valenciennois
Jean Froissart Jean Froissart ( Old and Middle French: ''Jehan''; sometimes known as John Froissart in English; – ) was a French-speaking medieval author and court historian from the Low Countries who wrote several works, including ''Chronicles'' and ''Meli ...
, that some or all of this period may have been spent in England, possibly working with Jean de Liege in the employ of
Philippa of Hainault Philippa of Hainault (sometimes spelled Hainaut; Middle French: ''Philippe de Hainaut''; 24 June 1310 (or 1315) – 15 August 1369) was List of English consorts, Queen of England as the wife and political adviser of King Edward III. She acted a ...
. However, there is no independent evidence for such a visit and Beauneveu's name does not appear anywhere in the normally comprehensive Westminster account rolls for this period. By 1372, Beauneveu was back in the Low Countries, where he worked for a number of civic and aristocratic patrons. In 1386 he made the move to Bourges to enter the service of one of the greatest artistic patrons of medieval Europe, the Valois Duke
Jean de Berry John of Berry or John the Magnificent (French language, French: ''Jean de Berry'', ; 30 November 1340 – 15 June 1416) was Duke of Berry and Rulers of Auvergne, Auvergne and Count of Poitiers and Montpensier. His brothers were King Charles ...
. Beauneveu was employed as Berry's ''Superintendent of all Painting and Sculpture'' and seems to have been particularly associated with the Duke's new 'fairy-tale' castle at
Mehun-sur-Yèvre Mehun-sur-Yèvre (, literally ''Mehun on Yèvre'') is a commune in the Cher department in central France. Population Economy The French porcelain manufacturer Pillivuyt is based locally. See also *Communes of the Cher department The fo ...
and with the stained glass and sculptural decorations for the chapel of his palace in
Bourges Bourges ( ; ; ''Borges'' in Berrichon) is a commune in central France on the river Yèvre (Cher), Yèvre. It is the capital of the Departments of France, department of Cher (department), Cher, and also was the capital city of the former provin ...
. There are no dated references to Beauneveu's life after 1388 but it is generally assumed that he died some time around 1400.Stephen K. Scher, ''André Beauneveu and Claus Sluter'' in ''Gesta'', vol.7 (1968), p.12, n.2


Manuscript illumination

One of the few firmly attributable works by the hand of Beauneveu is the ''Psalter of Jean de Berry'' (Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale, MS. fr. 13091), which is mentioned as being the work of the artist in a 1402 inventory of the ducal treasury. Beauneveu's contribution to this illuminated manuscript was a series of 24 full-page miniatures of enthroned
prophet In religion, a prophet or prophetess is an individual who is regarded as being in contact with a divinity, divine being and is said to speak on behalf of that being, serving as an intermediary with humanity by delivering messages or teachings ...
s and
apostles An apostle (), in its literal sense, is an emissary. The word is derived from Ancient Greek ἀπόστολος (''apóstolos''), literally "one who is sent off", itself derived from the verb ἀποστέλλειν (''apostéllein''), "to se ...
. The prophets and apostles face each other across 12 openings, giving the appearance of a succession of
diptych A diptych (, ) is any object with two flat plates which form a pair, often attached by a hinge. For example, the standard notebook and school exercise book of the ancient world was a diptych consisting of a pair of such plates that contained a ...
s. The figures themselves are painted in
grisaille Grisaille ( or ; , from ''gris'' 'grey') means in general any European painting that is painted in grey. History Giotto used grisaille in the lower registers of his frescoes in the Scrovegni Chapel in Padua () and Robert Campin, Jan van Ey ...
and both they and the elaborate thrones on which they sit show evidence of a keen interest in realistic three-dimensional modelling and
foreshortening Linear or point-projection perspective () is one of two types of 3D projection, graphical projection perspective in the graphic arts; the other is parallel projection. Linear perspective is an approximate representation, generally on a fla ...
. The style of the miniatures clearly show the influence of
Jean Pucelle Jean Pucelle (c. 1300 – 1355; active c. 1320–1350) was a Parisian Gothic-era manuscript illuminator who excelled in the invention of drolleries as well as traditional iconography. He is considered one of the best miniaturists of ...
, whose most famous work, the
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux The Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux is an illuminated book of hours in the Gothic style. According to the usual account, it was created between 1324 and 1328 by Jean Pucelle for Jeanne d'Evreux, the third wife of Charles IV of France. It was sold in 19 ...
, was in the possession of the Duc de Berry by this time.


Sculpture

In 1364 Beauneveu was commissioned by King Charles V to sculpt four marble effigies for new tombs for his paternal grandparents, King Philip VI and Queen Joan of Burgundy, his father King
John II of France John II (; 26 April 1319 – 8 April 1364), called John the Good (French: ''Jean le Bon''), was King of France from 1350 until his death in 1364. When he came to power, France faced several disasters: the Black Death, which killed between a thir ...
and himself. These tombs were destined for the Abbey of St Denis, where the French kings were traditionally buried. By creating spectacular tombs for his immediate ancestors as well as himself and placing them at the heart of the Capetian royal necropolis, Charles was seeking to assert the authority of the new Valois dynasty as the rightful inheritors of the French crown - his Burgundian cousins began a new dynastic necropolis at
Champmol The Chartreuse de Champmol, formally the ''Chartreuse de la Sainte-Trinité de Champmol'', was a Carthusian monastery on the outskirts of Dijon, which is now in France, but in the 15th century was the capital of the Duchy of Burgundy. The monast ...
a decade later. Charles' choice of Beauneveu for this most important of commissions (for which the artist was paid 4,700 gold francs) clearly indicates the Netherlandish artist's status in France at this time. The tombs were designed in the latest style, with brilliant white marble ''gisants'' (recumbent
effigies An effigy is a sculptural representation, often life-size, of a specific person or a prototypical figure. The term is mostly used for the makeshift dummies used for symbolic punishment in political protests and for the figures burned in certain ...
representing the deceased) resting on polished black marble slabs (although the tombs themselves were destroyed in 1793, their form is known from late 17th century drawings commissioned by
Roger de Gaignières Roger is a masculine given name, and a surname. The given name is derived from the Old French personal names ' and '. These names are of Germanic languages">Germanic origin, derived from the elements ', ''χrōþi'' ("fame", "renown", "honour") ...
. The surviving ''gisants'' are still at St Denis but mounted on plain bases). The effigy of the King is shown as if still alive (') and with its highly personalised features it is clearly in a different league from the other surviving effigies of this group, which seem to have been undertaken by other members of Beauneveu's workshop. Records of payments to Beauneveu from the royal coffers cease in 1366 and the project was then completed by other hands, including his contemporary
Jean de Liège Jean de Liège, (c.1330-1381) was a 14th-century sculptor of Flemish people, Flemish origin, mainly active in France, who specialized in Funerary art, funerary sculptures. Little is known of Jean de Liège's life except through his works. These ...
. In 2017, two marble lions from the destroyed tomb of
Charles V of France Charles V (21 January 1338 – 16 September 1380), called the Wise (; ), was King of France from 1364 to his death in 1380. His reign marked an early high point for France during the Hundred Years' War as his armies recovered much of the terri ...
made £9.3 million at a
Christie's Christie's is a British auction house founded in 1766 by James Christie (auctioneer), James Christie. Its main premises are on King Street, St James's in London, and it has additional salerooms in New York, Paris, Hong Kong, Milan, Geneva, Shan ...
auction. One of the projects in which Beauneveu was engaged between 1374 and 1377 was a funeral monument for the Count of Flanders, Louis of Male. The project was never finished but a statue of
St Catherine St. Catherine or St. Katherine may refer to a number of saints named Catherine, or: Geography Canada *St. Catharines, a city in Ontario * St. Catharines (federal electoral district), federal *St. Catharines (provincial electoral district), ...
that was to form part of the supporting structure survives at the Onze Lieve Vrouwkerk in
Kortrijk Kortrijk ( , ; or ''Kortrik''; ), sometimes known in English as Courtrai or Courtray ( ), is a Belgian City status in Belgium, city and Municipalities in Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region, Flemish Provinces of Belgium, province of We ...
. This lifelike figure, with her gently curving pose, naturalistic features and direct gaze, gives a clear sense of the elegance that Froissart and his contemporaries so admired in Beauneveu's work. During his time in the employ of Jean de Berry (after 1386), Beauneveu is known to have produced several sculptures for the castle at Mehun and for the chapel of the ducal palace at Bourges. The only surviving fragment from Mehun is the large bearded head which is now in the Musée de Louvre. This probably belonged to one of twelve apostle statues that would have stood against the pillars inside the palace chapel at Mehun (similar to the ones in the Ste Chapelle in Paris). Some have argued that the head is the work of Beauneveu's successor, Jean de Cambrai, though the weight of opinion generally favours Beauneveu or his workshop.Harry Bober, ''Andre Beauneveu and Mehun-sur-Yevre'' in ''Speculum'', Vol. 28, No. 4 (Oct., 1953), pp. 741-753 The work that Beauneveu carried out on the sculptural and painted decorations at Mehun was so highly regarded by his contemporaries that Jean de Berry's brother, Philip of Burgundy, sent his own court artists
Claus Sluter Claus Sluter (1340s in Haarlem – 1405 or 1406 in Dijon) was a Dutch sculptor, living in the Duchy of Burgundy from about 1380. He was the most important northern European sculptor of his age and is considered a pioneer of the "northern reali ...
and Jean de Beaumetz to visit the building site in 1393. Several of the smaller prophet figures from Bourges also survive, dispersed amongst public and private collections. Stylistic differences between these figures serve as a useful reminder that northern European sculpture of this period was normally a team effort. Workshop masters like Beauneveu would set the standard and dictate the overall style but on any large project, one can usually distinguish the presence of multiple distinct craftsmen.


Painting and stained glass

Archives show that during the 1370s, whilst working on the funereal sculptures for the
Count of Flanders The count of Flanders was the ruler or sub-ruler of the county of Flanders, beginning in the 9th century. Later, the title would be held for a time, by the rulers of the Holy Roman Empire and Spain. During the French Revolution, in 1790, the c ...
, Beauneveu was also supplying paintings for the Alderman's hall in his home town of Valenciennes as well as undertaking various commissions for the town councils of
Ypres Ypres ( ; ; ; ; ) is a Belgian city and municipality in the province of West Flanders. Though the Dutch name is the official one, the city's French name is most commonly used in English. The municipality comprises the city of Ypres/Ieper ...
and
Mechelen Mechelen (; ; historically known as ''Mechlin'' in EnglishMechelen has been known in English as ''Mechlin'', from where the adjective ''Mechlinian'' is derived. This name may still be used, especially in a traditional or historical context. T ...
, though none of these works nor any other panel paintings by the artist survive. In the early 20th century, the newfound interest in Gothic art and the obsession with attributing anonymous works to named artists led some authors to cite Beauneveu as the creator of numerous late 14th century artworks, including the Hakendover Altarpiece and the
Parement de Narbonne Paraments or parements (from Late Latin ''paramentum'', "adornment", ''parare'', "to prepare", "equip") are both the hangings or ornaments of a room of state, and the ecclesiastical vestments. Paraments include the liturgical hangings on and arou ...
. The English bibliophile S.C. Cockerell even claimed that Beauneveu had painted the famous 'Westminster' portrait of
Richard II Richard II (6 January 1367 – ), also known as Richard of Bordeaux, was King of England from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399. He was the son of Edward, Prince of Wales (later known as the Black Prince), and Joan, Countess of Kent. R ...
, based on a supposed similarity between that work and the Berry Psalter.W.R.Lethaby ''The Westminster Portrait of Richard II'' in the Burlington Magazine, vol.65, No.380 (1934), p.220 For a period, Beauneveu's supposed oeuvre was a pawn in the gentlemanly disputes (played out in the pages of the Burlington Magazine) between Cockerell, Martin Conway and
Roger Fry Roger Eliot Fry (14 December 1866 – 9 September 1934) was an English painter and art critic, critic, and a member of the Bloomsbury Group. Establishing his reputation as a scholar of the Old Masters, he became an advocate of more recent ...
over the origins of the French, Netherlandish and English 'schools' of late medieval art. These attributions were however based on nothing more than superficial stylistic resemblances which could equally have applied to almost any work of the
International Gothic International Gothic is a period of Gothic art that began in Burgundy, France, and northern Italy in the late 14th and early 15th century. It then spread very widely across Western Europe, hence the name for the period, which was introduced by the ...
period. The fact that all these speculative attributions have since been dismissed in the light of more careful scholarship shows the dangers of trying to apply traditional techniques of connoisseurship to the art of this period. Some of the few examples of Beauneveu's large-scale painting that can be safely attributed on the basis of documentary evidence, as well as stylistic considerations, are the stained glass windows he designed for Jean de Berry's 'Sainte Chapelle' (the palace chapel built in Bourges in emulation of
Louis IX Louis IX (25 April 1214 – 25 August 1270), also known as Saint Louis, was King of France from 1226 until his death in 1270. He is widely recognized as the most distinguished of the Direct Capetians. Following the death of his father, Louis ...
's Ste Chapelle in Paris). Although the Duke's chapel was destroyed during the French Revolution its appearance is known from an 18th-century oil painting, which is now in the Musée du Berry in Bourges along with various sculptural fragments from the chapel. Some of the windows survived the destruction and were subsequently installed in the crypt of
Bourges Cathedral Bourges Cathedral ( French: ''Cathédrale Saint-Étienne de Bourges'') is a Roman Catholic church located in Bourges, France. The cathedral is dedicated to Saint Stephen and is the seat of the Archbishop of Bourges. Built atop an earlier Romanesq ...
. These spectacular grisaille panels show a series of naturalistic standing prophets, set within microarchitectural niches, which would have echoed the real sculpted prophets mounted in niches on the outside of the building.


Notes and references

{{DEFAULTSORT:Beauneveu, Andre 1330s births 1402 deaths Artists from Valenciennes Early Netherlandish painters Early Netherlandish sculptors Gothic sculptors Northern Renaissance French manuscript illuminators Flemish sculptors (before 1830) 14th-century French sculptors French male sculptors