Melun Diptych

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Fouquet Madonna

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The Melun Diptych is a renowned diptych created by the French painter Jean Fouquet between 1452 and 1455. This masterpiece is an oil painting on wood, consisting of two panels measuring 93 cm in height and 85 cm in width each. The diptych is currently housed at the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp in Belgium. The left panel of the diptych depicts Étienne Chevalier, the treasurer to King Charles VII of France, kneeling in prayer alongside his patron saint, Stephen the Martyr. The right panel portrays the Virgin Mary seated on a throne, holding the infant Jesus, with two angels hovering above her. The Melun Diptych is celebrated for its exquisite detail, vibrant colors, and the artist's skillful portrayal of the figures. Jean Fouquet's innovative use of light and shadow, as well as his attention to facial expressions and drapery, contribute to the diptych's artistic significance. The diptych serves as a prime example of 15th-century French Renaissance art, showcasing the transition from the medieval to the Renaissance style. It exemplifies the fusion of religious devotion with humanistic ideals, reflecting the cultural and artistic developments of the period.