born 0441; 1440
died 1482, Roode Kloster, near Brussels
Flemish painter.
Nothing is known of his life before 1467, when he became a master in the painters' guild in Ghent. He received numerous commissions from the town of Ghent (processional banners, heraldic shields, etc.) through 1475. He was elected dean of the guild in 1474. The next year, at the height of his career, he entered a monastery near Brussels as a lay brother, though he continued to paint and travel. A mental breakdown in 1481 led to a suicide attempt, and he died the following year. His masterpiece and only documented work is a large triptych known as the Portinari Altarpiece ( 0441; 147378); an outstanding early example of northern realism, it shows psychological insight and an emotional intensity unprecedented in Flemish art. A poignant and disturbing Death of the Virgin is also attributed to him.