Jan Provoost was born in Mons c 1465, became a burgess of Bruges in 1494 and remained active there until his death in 1529. This triptych of the Virgin and Child with Saints and Donors was painted at the end of the fifteenth century. In the centre the crowned Virgin is sitting on a gold throne decorated with images of St Paul and a kneeling saint with martyr's palm, St Simon and St Mary Magdalen. She presses her left hand to her right breast and directs a jet of milk, now scarcely visible, to the mouth of a kneeling Bernard who holds his crozier in his hands clasped in prayer. She supports the Child, who turns to Bernard to bless him, with his right hand. On the right is St Benedict in a black cowl and with a book in his right hand and a crozier in his left. The vase in the foreground contains columbines, irises, and lilies. On the hem of the Virgin's mantle is the inscription: '[MA]TER/[GR]ACIE.mater.MISERICORDIE.TV/...OTEC/NO.../PARADISI.GLORI[A]/...'. The left wing has St John Baptist with the emblems of book and the Lamb bearing the Cross and with a kneeling donor. The right wing has St Martha with a donatrix.
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