The miracle of the flowering rod (left); the marriage of Mary and Joseph (right)

The double panel shows The miracle of the flowering rod (left); the marriage of Mary and Joseph (right). Executed in oil paint on panel in 1430 by Robert Campin, the work forms part of the Museo del Prado collection and was created for private devotional use.

The provenance traces from its original patronship in the early Netherlandish court to its acquisition by the Spanish Crown in the 16th century, followed by transfer to the Royal Palace and eventual incorporation into the Museo del Prado's holdings in the 19th century. The dating of 1430 is corroborated by stylistic analysis and documentary records, while the dimensions of 76.5 cm by 88.5 cm reflect the original panel format.

The creation history records Campin's workshop producing the panels as part of a larger altarpiece commission, with documentary evidence pointing to a 1430 execution date and an intended devotional function within a private chapel.

Created circa 1430 by Robert Campin, this diptych combines two distinct biblical narratives in oil on panel. The left image illustrates the Miracle of the Flowering Rod, while the right portrays the marriage of Mary and Joseph. Executed in Campin’s workshop in Tournai, the work now belongs to the collection of the Museo del Prado in Madrid.

Campin, a pivotal figure in the Northern Renaissance, worked contemporaneously with Jan van Eyck and helped establish oil painting as a dominant medium in the region. Operating from his workshop in Tournai, he trained a generation of artists who spread his innovations throughout the Low Countries, influencing the visual language of devotional art.