BELLECHOSE, Henri - b. ~1400 Brabant, d. ~1445 Dijon - WGA

BELLECHOSE, Henri

(b. ~1400 Brabant, d. ~1445 Dijon)

Netherlandish painter from Brabant, who succeeded Malouel as court painter to the Duke of Burgundy in 1415. He is documented in 1416 as completing an altarpiece left unfinished by Malouel, which can be identified as The Martyrdom of St Denis in the Louvre. The painting appears to be the work of two hands, and the more naturalistic, less elegant parts are given to Bellechose.

Martyrdom of St Denis
Martyrdom of St Denis by

Martyrdom of St Denis

Jean de Beaumetz, Jean Malouel and Henri Bellechose, working in Dijon, were successively the official artists of the DDukes of Burgundy, Philippe le Hardi (Philip the Bold) and Jean sans Peur (John the Fearless). Characteristic of their work is the combination of refined draughtsmanship with fresh, brilliant colours heightened by gilding, in an attempt to express deep emotion.

It has been suggested that this painting was begun by Jean Malouel and completed by Bellechose.

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