Why it matters
Hugo van der Goes's huge altarpiece of the Adoration of the Shepherds arrived in Florence in 1483 and was deeply admired by Italian artists. It is said to be the most studied of all late-15th-century Flemish artworks.
Did you know?
- It was commissioned by Tommaso Portinari, who worked in Bruges for the Medici bank for more than forty years.
- Portinari, his wife and three children appear on the side panels with their patron saints.
- It was made for the church of the hospital of Santa Maria Nuova in Florence.
- Ghirlandaio's Adoration of the Shepherds shows its influence.
Based on the Wikipedia article Portinari Altarpiece (CC BY-SA 4.0).
