Beyond Black and White: The grisaille exterior of the Netherlandish triptych

This thesis is a study of fifteenth- to mid sixteenth-century Netherlandish triptych exteriors, focusing on the so-called ‘grisaille’ technique. During this period, altarpieces produced in the Low Countries were typically constructed in a tripartite format with folding wings. This arrangement created the opportunity for pictorial representations on both sides of the hinged panels. Painters emphasized the distinction between the triptych’s two faces by executing the exteriors in a strikingly more subdued palette than the interiors. Particular iconographic subject matter was favoured for grisailles, which often depict the Annunciation or saints that reflect the triptych’s patronage or intended location. Jan van Eyck was notable for his emphasis on imitating stone statuary and created three important grisailles, one of which would influence triptych exteriors for years to come. Hieronymus Bosch, an artist working at the turn of the sixteenth century, also brought innovation to his grisailles, further expanding the potential of these reduced-palette paintings. This thesis examines the creative process involved in the production of grisailles and compares the underdrawings of triptych exteriors to those of the corresponding polychromatic interiors. In this study, grisailles are situated in their context as part of multifaceted artworks as well as within the broader church environment. New infrared reflectograms were generated using Queen’s OSIRIS infrared camera to document works in Belgium and the Netherlands. While some aspects of underdrawings could indicate that the figure was meant to imitate statuary, this distinction was not directly linked to triptych exteriors and was related instead to efforts at a trompe-l’oeil effect. Such attempts at mimicry can also be found on triptych interiors. Through a close examination of the underdrawing stage of these paintings it appears that this part of the creative process was not distinguished in any significant way from the underdrawings of triptych interiors.

The Capital Sculpture of Wells Cathedral, c. 1184-1210

The understudied capital sculpture of Wells Cathedral in Somerset, England (c. 1184-1210) provides ample opportunity of expanding the current scholarship and understanding of interior ecclesiastical sculpture in a West Country cathedral. While the Gothic style of architecture is typically understood as, according to Paul Binski (2014), rational in execution and reception, the capital sculpture at Wells Cathedral has been considered illogical in terms of both its iconography and location within the nave, transepts, and north porch. Utilizing Michael Camille’s post/anti-iconographical approach, this project examines the Wells figural capitals in five case studies: labour, Old and New Testament Scenes, animals and beast fables, busts, and monsters and hybrids. Each group of capitals will be approached with an understanding that this type of art was viewed by people of different classes and professions, with each viewer bringing their own personal experiences and abilities into how they could have read and understood these types of images. Therefore, the capitals at Wells must be read through layers of meaning and interpretation while also considering their locations within the cathedral and how they react and respond to surrounding figural capitals.