Artwork
Charles Coguin, Abbot of Anchin
Charles Coguin, Abbot of Anchin is an oil painting by the Northern Renaissance artist Jehan Bellegambe. It dates from 1509 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Technique & Style
His black monastic habit is rendered with restrained modeling, while the gold brooch and ring on the right hand introduce subtle metallic accents.
The painting is executed in oil on a vertically oriented oak panel, measuring 67.9 cm in height and 28.9 cm in width.
The handling is characteristic of early-sixteenth-century Northern European portraiture, with smooth, blended transitions in the flesh tones and careful delineation of facial features. The abbot is shown in three-quarter view, turned slightly to his right, with hands clasped in prayer. His black monastic habit is rendered with restrained modeling, while the gold brooch and ring on the right hand introduce subtle metallic accents.
The background is a neutral dark tone, focusing attention on the sitter’s serene expression and the refined detail of the costume.
History & Provenance
The portrait Charles Coguin, Abbot of Anchin was painted by Jehan Bellegambe in 1509, as indicated by the work’s inscription and date. The painting is an oil-on-panel portrait, measuring 67.9 cm in height and 28.9 cm in width.
By the early 20th century, the work entered the collection of Michael Friedsam, whose holdings were later bequeathed to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is currently held.
The portrait of Charles Coguin, Abbot of Anchin, is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. It was acquired through the Michael Friedsam bequest. The work was previously included in the Loan Exhibition of French Primitives and Objects of Art.
Overview
Jehan Bellegambe, a Flemish painter active in the early 16th century, created this oil portrait of Charles Coguin, Abbot of Anchin, in 1509. The painting captures the abbot in a moment of devotion, kneeling before a small table with an open book and a golden cross. His yellow robe and calm expression are rendered with careful detail, characteristic of the period. This work is now part of the collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Subject & Meaning
The portrait presents Charles Coguin, Abbot of Anchin, in a posture of piety and contemplation. Kneeling, he holds an open book while his left hand rests upon a golden cross, symbols indicative of his religious office. His rich, yet subtly worn, yellow robe and serene facial expression convey both his status and spiritual dedication. This detailed depiction aligns with the Northern Renaissance focus on individual likeness and symbolic representation.
Context
Jehan Bellegambe was a prominent French-speaking Flemish painter during the late 15th and early 16th centuries, primarily active across northern France and the Low Countries. While renowned for his religious works and complex polyptychs, this piece demonstrates his skill in formal portraiture. It reflects the broader artistic trends of the Northern Renaissance, where detailed individual likenesses were increasingly valued, often commissioned by religious figures or institutions.
Artist & collection
Artist
Jehan Bellegambe or Jean Bellegambe (sometimes Belgamb or Belganb) (c. 1470 – c. June 1535/March 1536) was a French-speaking Flemish painter of religious paintings, triptychs and polyptychs, the most important of which…
- Kreuzigungsaltar: Hl. Agnes und Stifterin
Robrecht de Clercq, abbot of Ter Duinen
St Benedict (wing of a polyptych)
Saint Gregory
Kreuzigungsaltar: Hl. Bischof (Lambertus von Lüttich?) mit Stifterin
Saint Augustine
Pilate Washing his Hands and Saint Martin of Tours with a Beggar and the Donor
A Bishop Saint
Beweinungsaltar, Flügelaußenseite: Hl. Kunibert
Kirchenväteraltar: Papst Gregor der Große
Saint Ambrose from Milan
Saint Louis of Toulouse
