Campin, << KAHM pihn, >> Robert (1375?-1444), was an important painter of altarpieces and portraits in northern Europe. His style appealed to the rising middle class, which admired the artist’s depictions of everyday settings and the detailed descriptions of objects. Campin’s figures typically have a sculptural solidity expressed by folds of drapery.
Campin’s paintings employ what has been called disguised symbolism. Realistic objects convey symbolism beyond their identity as recognizable elements of an everyday scene. For example, in his Annunciation, a snuffed-out candle may refer to Jesus’ life, which was extinguished on the cross. A hanging basin and towel may refer to the purity of the Virgin Mary. In his use of disguised symbolism, Campin influenced the artist Rogier van der Weyden, one of his assistants.
Little is known of Campin’s life. He has been called the Master of Flemalle because four paintings attributed to him were mistakenly thought to have hung in an abbey in Flemalle, Belgium, near Liege.
