Overview

Opening Doors is the first book of its kind: a comprehensive study of the emergence and evolution of the Netherlandish triptych from the early fifteenth through the early seventeenth centuries. The modern term “triptych” did not exist during the period Lynn Jacobs discusses. Rather, contemporary French, Dutch, and Latin documents employ a very telling description—they call the triptych a “painting with doors.” Using this term as her springboard, Jacobs considers its implications for the structure and meaning of the triptych. The fundamental nature of the format created doors that established thresholds, boundaries, and interconnections between physical parts of the triptych—the center and wings, the interior and the exterior—and between types of meaning, the sacred and the earthly, different narrative moments, different spaces, different levels of status, and, ultimately, different worlds. Moving chronologically from early triptychs such as Campin’s Mérode Triptych and Van Eyck’s Dresden Triptych to sixteenth-century works by Bosch, and closing with a discussion of Rubens, Jacobs considers how artists negotiated the idea of the threshold. From her analysis of Campin’s ambiguous divisions between the space represented across the panels, to Van der Weyden’s invention of the “arch motif” that organized relations between the viewer and the painting, to Van der Goes’s complex hierarchical structures, to Bosch’s unprecedentedly unified spaces, Jacobs shows us how Netherlandish artists’ approach to the format changed and evolved, culminating in the early seventeenth century with Rubens’s great Antwerp altarpieces.

Full Product Details

Author:   Lynn F. Jacobs (University of Arkansas)
Publisher:   Pennsylvania State University Press
Imprint:   Pennsylvania State University Press
Dimensions:   Width: 26.70cm , Height: 2.90cm , Length: 24.10cm
Weight:   2.087kg
ISBN:  

9780271048406

ISBN 10:   0271048409
Pages:   328
Publication Date:   07 April 2012
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   To order  
Stock availability from the supplier is unknown. We will order it for you and ship this item to you once it is received by us.

Table of Contents

Contents List of Illustrations Acknowledgments Introduction: The Triptych as a Painting with Doors Part I: Origins and the First Half of the Fifteenth Century 1 The Emergence of the Early Netherlandish Triptych I: Robert Campin (and His Associates) 2 The Emergence of the Early Netherlandish Triptych II: Jan van Eyck Part II: The Second Half of the Fifteenth Century 3 The Triptych Reformulated: Rogier van der Weyden 4 The Triptych Popularized: Painters of the Second Half of the Fifteenth Century 5 The Triptych Unified: Memling, David, and Later Fifteenth-Century Painters in Bruges Part III: The Sixteenth Century and Beyond 6 The World Triptych: Hieronymus Bosch 7 The Triptych in the Age of the Renaissance and the Reformation 8 Coda: The Triptych in the Age of Rubens Notes Bibliography Index

Reviews

Through careful and insightful interpretation of the extant visual material and contemporary terminology, Jacobs's argument offers a fresh perspective on this particularly Netherlandish altarpiece format. --Nenagh Hathaway, Burlington Magazine

Jacobs's fascinating book should reopen scholarly interest in these marvelous paintings with doors. --Henry Luttikhuizen, Historians of Netherlandish Art Admirably broad in its sweep--from Jan van Eyck to Rubens--this book tackles a fundamentally important question: how the form of the triptych affected its meaning. Noting that archival evidence reveals that this art form was envisioned as a panel covered by doors, Lynn Jacobs develops the idea of the 'miraculous threshold.' She explores the rich and complex relationships between the triptych's exterior and interior, and between the central panel, the most important from a theological point of view, and the wings. This book will undoubtedly have a major impact on the field. --Diane Wolfthal, Rice University This remarkable, lucid book takes on a big and complex subject, still somewhat invisible to scholarship. It fully reconsiders a major late medieval art form: the triptych format of hinged altarpieces. The triptych--along with its components, oil paint technique and refined oak carving--rose to Golden Age prominence in fifteenth-century Flemish art. Offering an impressive survey of this great artistic achievement, Opening Doors truly lives up to its name and contributes fresh new interpretations. Scholars and their students will use this book as a standard work for many years to come. --Larry Silver, University of Pennsylvania Through careful and insightful interpretation of the extant visual material and contemporary terminology, Jacobs's argument offers a fresh perspective on this particularly Netherlandish altarpiece format. --Nenagh Hathaway, Burlington Magazine With her characteristic meticulous scholarship and intellectual verve, Lynn Jacobs opens doors in our understanding of the triptych, one of the defining formats of early Netherlandish painting. Using a wealth of contemporary sources and her sensitive readings of individual works, she convincingly demonstrates how 'paintings with doors, ' as triptychs were termed, structured and generated meaning for artists and audiences alike. Painters from Robert Campin and Jan van Eyck to Hieronymus Bosch and, later, Peter Paul Rubens exploited the triptych's thresholds, those physical distinctions between center and wings or inside and outside panels, to create often elegant narrative and symbolic programs. Jacobs has written a richly rewarding, indeed essential, book for anyone seeking to comprehend early Netherlandish art. --Jeffrey Chipps Smith, University of Texas at Austin

Through careful and insightful interpretation of the extant visual material and contemporary terminology, Jacobs's argument offers a fresh perspective on this particularly Netherlandish altarpiece format. -Nenagh Hathaway, Burlington Magazine Jacobs's fascinating book should reopen scholarly interest in these marvelous paintings with doors. -Henry Luttikhuizen, Historians of Netherlandish Art With her characteristic meticulous scholarship and intellectual verve, Lynn Jacobs opens doors in our understanding of the triptych, one of the defining formats of early Netherlandish painting. Using a wealth of contemporary sources and her sensitive readings of individual works, she convincingly demonstrates how 'paintings with doors,' as triptychs were termed, structured and generated meaning for artists and audiences alike. Painters from Robert Campin and Jan van Eyck to Hieronymus Bosch and, later, Peter Paul Rubens exploited the triptych's thresholds, those physical distinctions between center and wings or inside and outside panels, to create often elegant narrative and symbolic programs. Jacobs has written a richly rewarding, indeed essential, book for anyone seeking to comprehend early Netherlandish art. -Jeffrey Chipps Smith, University of Texas at Austin Admirably broad in its sweep-from Jan van Eyck to Rubens-this book tackles a fundamentally important question: how the form of the triptych affected its meaning. Noting that archival evidence reveals that this art form was envisioned as a panel covered by doors, Lynn Jacobs develops the idea of the 'miraculous threshold.' She explores the rich and complex relationships between the triptych's exterior and interior, and between the central panel, the most important from a theological point of view, and the wings. This book will undoubtedly have a major impact on the field. -Diane Wolfthal, Rice University This remarkable, lucid book takes on a big and complex subject, still somewhat invisible to scholarship. It fully reconsiders a major late medieval art form: the triptych format of hinged altarpieces. The triptych-along with its components, oil paint technique and refined oak carving-rose to Golden Age prominence in fifteenth-century Flemish art. Offering an impressive survey of this great artistic achievement, Opening Doors truly lives up to its name and contributes fresh new interpretations. Scholars and their students will use this book as a standard work for many years to come. -Larry Silver, University of Pennsylvania

With her characteristic meticulous scholarship and intellectual verve, Lynn Jacobs opens doors in our understanding of the triptych, one of the defining formats of early Netherlandish painting. Using a wealth of contemporary sources and her sensitive readings of individual works, she convincingly demonstrates how paintings with doors, as triptychs were termed, structured and generated meaning for artists and audiences alike. Painters from Robert Campin and Jan van Eyck to Hieronymus Bosch and, later, Peter Paul Rubens exploited the triptych s thresholds, those physical distinctions between center and wings or inside and outside panels, to create often elegant narrative and symbolic programs. Jacobs has written a richly rewarding, indeed essential, book for anyone seeking to comprehend early Netherlandish art. Jeffrey Chipps Smith, University of Texas at Austin This remarkable, lucid book takes on a big and complex subject, still somewhat invisible to scholarship. It fully reconsiders a major late medieval art form: the triptych format of hinged altarpieces. The triptych along with its components, oil paint technique and refined oak carving rose to Golden Age prominence in fifteenth-century Flemish art. Offering an impressive survey of this great artistic achievement, Opening Doors truly lives up to its name and contributes fresh new interpretations. Scholars and their students will use this book as a standard work for many years to come. Larry Silver, University of Pennsylvania Through careful and insightful interpretation of the extant visual material and contemporary terminology, Jacobs s argument offers a fresh perspective on this particularly Netherlandish altarpiece format. Nenagh Hathaway, Burlington Magazine Admirably broad in its sweep from Jan van Eyck to Rubens this book tackles a fundamentally important question: how the form of the triptych affected its meaning. Noting that archival evidence reveals that this art form was envisioned as a panel covered by doors, Lynn Jacobs develops the idea of the miraculous threshold. She explores the rich and complex relationships between the triptych s exterior and interior, and between the central panel, the most important from a theological point of view, and the wings. This book will undoubtedly have a major impact on the field. Diane Wolfthal, Rice University Through careful and insightful interpretation of the extant visual material and contemporary terminology, Jacobs's argument offers a fresh perspective on this particularly Netherlandish altarpiece format. --Nenagh Hathaway, Burlington Magazine Jacobs's fascinating book should reopen scholarly interest in these marvelous paintings with doors. --Henry Luttikhuizen, Historians of Netherlandish Art With her characteristic meticulous scholarship and intellectual verve, Lynn Jacobs opens doors in our understanding of the triptych, one of the defining formats of early Netherlandish painting. Using a wealth of contemporary sources and her sensitive readings of individual works, she convincingly demonstrates how 'paintings with doors, ' as triptychs were termed, structured and generated meaning for artists and audiences alike. Painters from Robert Campin and Jan van Eyck to Hieronymus Bosch and, later, Peter Paul Rubens exploited the triptych's thresholds, those physical distinctions between center and wings or inside and outside panels, to create often elegant narrative and symbolic programs. Jacobs has written a richly rewarding, indeed essential, book for anyone seeking to comprehend early Netherlandish art. --Jeffrey Chipps Smith, University of Texas at Austin Admirably broad in its sweep--from Jan van Eyck to Rubens--this book tackles a fundamentally important question: how the form of the triptych affected its meaning. Noting that archival evidence reveals that this art form was envisioned as a panel covered by doors, Lynn Jacobs develops the idea of the 'miraculous threshold.' She explores the rich and complex relationships between the triptych's exterior and interior, and between the central panel, the most important from a theological point of view, and the wings. This book will undoubtedly have a major impact on the field. --Diane Wolfthal, Rice University This remarkable, lucid book takes on a big and complex subject, still somewhat invisible to scholarship. It fully reconsiders a major late medieval art form: the triptych format of hinged altarpieces. The triptych--along with its components, oil paint technique and refined oak carving--rose to Golden Age prominence in fifteenth-century Flemish art. Offering an impressive survey of this great artistic achievement, Opening Doors truly lives up to its name and contributes fresh new interpretations. Scholars and their students will use this book as a standard work for many years to come. --Larry Silver, University of Pennsylvania Through careful and insightful interpretation of the extant visual material and contemporary terminology, Jacobs s argument offers a fresh perspective on this particularly Netherlandish altarpiece format. Nenagh Hathaway, Burlington Magazine Jacobs s fascinating book should reopen scholarly interest in these marvelous paintings with doors. Henry Luttikhuizen, Historians of Netherlandish Art With her characteristic meticulous scholarship and intellectual verve, Lynn Jacobs opens doors in our understanding of the triptych, one of the defining formats of early Netherlandish painting. Using a wealth of contemporary sources and her sensitive readings of individual works, she convincingly demonstrates how paintings with doors, as triptychs were termed, structured and generated meaning for artists and audiences alike. Painters from Robert Campin and Jan van Eyck to Hieronymus Bosch and, later, Peter Paul Rubens exploited the triptych s thresholds, those physical distinctions between center and wings or inside and outside panels, to create often elegant narrative and symbolic programs. Jacobs has written a richly rewarding, indeed essential, book for anyone seeking to comprehend early Netherlandish art. Jeffrey Chipps Smith, University of Texas at Austin Admirably broad in its sweep from Jan van Eyck to Rubens this book tackles a fundamentally important question: how the form of the triptych affected its meaning. Noting that archival evidence reveals that this art form was envisioned as a panel covered by doors, Lynn Jacobs develops the idea of the miraculous threshold. She explores the rich and complex relationships between the triptych s exterior and interior, and between the central panel, the most important from a theological point of view, and the wings. This book will undoubtedly have a major impact on the field. Diane Wolfthal, Rice University This remarkable, lucid book takes on a big and complex subject, still somewhat invisible to scholarship. It fully reconsiders a major late medieval art form: the triptych format of hinged altarpieces. The triptych along with its components, oil paint technique and refined oak carving rose to Golden Age prominence in fifteenth-century Flemish art. Offering an impressive survey of this great artistic achievement, Opening Doors truly lives up to its name and contributes fresh new interpretations. Scholars and their students will use this book as a standard work for many years to come. Larry Silver, University of Pennsylvania Through careful and insightful interpretation of the extant visual material and contemporary terminology, Jacobs s argument offers a fresh perspective on this particularly Netherlandish altarpiece format. Nenagh Hathaway, Burlington Magazine Jacobs s fascinating book should reopen scholarly interest in these marvelous paintings with doors. Henry Luttikhuizen, Historians of Netherlandish Art With her characteristic meticulous scholarship and intellectual verve, Lynn Jacobs opens doors in our understanding of the triptych, one of the defining formats of early Netherlandish painting. Using a wealth of contemporary sources and her sensitive readings of individual works, she convincingly demonstrates how paintings with doors, as triptychs were termed, structured and generated meaning for artists and audiences alike. Painters from Robert Campin and Jan van Eyck to Hieronymus Bosch and, later, Peter Paul Rubens exploited the triptych s thresholds, those physical distinctions between center and wings or inside and outside panels, to create often elegant narrative and symbolic programs. Jacobs has written a richly rewarding, indeed essential, book for anyone seeking to comprehend early Netherlandish art. Jeffrey Chipps Smith, University of Texas at Austin Admirably broad in its sweep from Jan van Eyck to Rubens this book tackles a fundamentally important question: how the form of the triptych affected its meaning. Noting that archival evidence reveals that this art form was envisioned as a panel covered by doors, Lynn Jacobs develops the idea of the miraculous threshold. She explores the rich and complex relationships between the triptych s exterior and interior, and between the central panel, the most important from a theological point of view, and the wings. This book will undoubtedly have a major impact on the field. Diane Wolfthal, Rice University This remarkable, lucid book takes on a big and complex subject, still somewhat invisible to scholarship. It fully reconsiders a major late medieval art form: the triptych format of hinged altarpieces. The triptych along with its components, oil paint technique and refined oak carving rose to Golden Age prominence in fifteenth-century Flemish art. Offering an impressive survey of this great artistic achievement, Opening Doors truly lives up to its name and contributes fresh new interpretations. Scholars and their students will use this book as a standard work for many years to come. Larry Silver, University of Pennsylvania Through careful and insightful interpretation of the extant visual material and contemporary terminology, Jacobs's argument offers a fresh perspective on this particularly Netherlandish altarpiece format. --Nenagh Hathaway, Burlington Magazine Jacobs's fascinating book should reopen scholarly interest in these marvelous paintings with doors. --Henry Luttikhuizen, Historians of Netherlandish Art With her characteristic meticulous scholarship and intellectual verve, Lynn Jacobs opens doors in our understanding of the triptych, one of the defining formats of early Netherlandish painting. Using a wealth of contemporary sources and her sensitive readings of individual works, she convincingly demonstrates how 'paintings with doors, ' as triptychs were termed, structured and generated meaning for artists and audiences alike. Painters from Robert Campin and Jan van Eyck to Hieronymus Bosch and, later, Peter Paul Rubens exploited the triptych's thresholds, those physical distinctions between center and wings or inside and outside panels, to create often elegant narrative and symbolic programs. Jacobs has written a richly rewarding, indeed essential, book for anyone seeking to comprehend early Netherlandish art. --Jeffrey Chipps Smith, University of Texas at Austin Admirably broad in its sweep--from Jan van Eyck to Rubens--this book tackles a fundamentally important question: how the form of the triptych affected its meaning. Noting that archival evidence reveals that this art form was envisioned as a panel covered by doors, Lynn Jacobs develops the idea of the 'miraculous threshold.' She explores the rich and complex relationships between the triptych's exterior and interior, and between the central panel, the most important from a theological point of view, and the wings. This book will undoubtedly have a major impact on the field. --Diane Wolfthal, Rice University This remarkable, lucid book takes on a big and complex subject, still somewhat invisible to scholarship. It fully reconsiders a major late medieval art form: the triptych format of hinged altarpieces. The triptych--along with its components, oil paint technique and refined oak carving--rose to Golden Age prominence in fifteenth-century Flemish art. Offering an impressive survey of this great artistic achievement, Opening Doors truly lives up to its name and contributes fresh new interpretations. Scholars and their students will use this book as a standard work for many years to come. --Larry Silver, University of Pennsylvania

Author Information

Lynn F. Jacobs is Professor of Art at the University of Arkansas.

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