Hugo van der Goes was a late 15th century Flemish painter. His birthdate is not known, although some feel it was around 1440. Any information we have about him is subjugated to the last 15 years of his life. It is believed that he was born in Ghent since he entered the guild there in 1467. In 1475 he entered an Augustinian monastery (Roode Clooster) as a lay-person. It was located near Brussels.
Van der Goes had many patrons including Emperor Maximillian; unfortunately, none of his paintings are signed. The only one documented is a triptych of the Nativity known as the Portinari Altarpiece (1475-76). It was commissioned for the church of the Hospital of Santa Maria Nuova in Florence. In 1481 the artist went on a pilgrimage to Cologne. After that he suffered a mental breakdown. His painting ceased and he died the next year. The history of Ghent as an art center ended then. The distress Van der Goes went through during his last years can be seen in many of his works. Besides being intensely emotional, they are known for their grandiosity, detail, and luminous color - similar to that of another Netherlandish master, Jan van Eyck. Much of this style's influence is evident in works by the German painter Hans Memling. Other works attributed to Van der Goes include Adoration of the Shepherds and The Fall of Man.
The Fall
1467-1468
Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna
Monforte Altarpiece
c. 1470
Staatliche Museen, Berlin
Portinari Triptych: closed
1476-1479
Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence
Portinari Triptych: open
1476-1479
Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence
Portinari Triptych: detail, center panel
The Adoration of the Shepherds
1476-1479
Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence
