Hans Memling

Hans Memling (c. 1430–1494) was born in Seligenstadt, near Frankfurt, and served his apprenticeship at Mainz or Cologne before working in the Brussels workshop of Rogier van der Weyden. By 1465 he was a citizen of Bruges, where he became one of the leading artists, ran a large workshop and by 1480 was listed among the wealthiest residents. He died there in 1494. His patrons were clergy, nobles, bankers and merchants, many of whom appear as donors in his religious panels. Angelo Tani of the Medici Bank commissioned The Last Judgment, which was captured at sea by a Danzig privateer in 1473 and remains in Gdańsk. His portraits, set against open landscape, were sought after in Italy and influenced painters there, Raphael among them. Later works include the Shrine of St Ursula and the Diptych of Maarten van Nieuwenhove, both in Bruges. Two works here: Angel Musicians and The Annunciation.