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Notes

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A pale young man, hands folded in prayer, is engaged in private devotions. This small painting was clearly the left wing of a diptych (a painting made of two parts) or triptych (a painting made of three parts). The object of his prayer would have been shown to his right, on a panel attached to this one with hinges. There is nothing to tell us who the sitter was, though he was evidently very wealthy. His dress and haircut suggest a date of around 1475.

Technical analysis shows us that there was underdrawing for the face and neck, probably indicating roughly where the head was to be. The final positions of the face, hands and book had all been fixed before the artist began to paint; few changes were made at the painting stage. The delicacy of detail and the skill of handling, particularly noticeable in the wet-in-wet passages, is typical of Memling.

The National Gallery, London

London

Title

A Young Man at Prayer

Date

mid 1470s

Medium

Oil on oak

Measurements

H 39 x W 25.4 cm

Accession number

NG2594

Acquisition method

bequeathed by George Salting, 1910

Work type

Painting

The National Gallery, London

Trafalgar Square, London, Greater London WC2N 5DN England

This venue is open to the public. Not all artworks are on display. If you want to see a particular artwork, please contact the venue.

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Artist or maker

Hans Memling

1430–1440–1494

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