Rogier van der Weyden

Here is a revised and improved memorial biography for Rogier van der Weyden, based only on well-supported facts from reputable sources:

Rogier van der Weyden (originally Roger de la Pasture) was born around 1399 in Tournai (then part of the Burgundian Netherlands) and died on 18 June 1464 in Brussels.(en.wikipedia.org) Raised in a family of knife-makers, his father, Henri de le Pasture, worked as a maître-coutelier in Tournai.(en.wikipedia.org)

Little is known of van der Weyden’s early life, owing to the loss of civic archives in Tournai and Brussels.(en.wikipedia.org) What is documented is that he apprenticed under Robert Campin in Tournai between approximately March 1427 and August 1432, first being admitted to the Guild of St. Luke around 1432.(en.wikipedia.org) In 1435, he relocated to Brussels, where he rapidly earned a reputation for emotional intensity and technical mastery.(en.wikipedia.org) He died in Brussels and was buried in the Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula.(en.wikipedia.org)

Van der Weyden became one of the foremost painters of the 15th century, known especially for his religious triptychs, altarpieces, and diptych and single portraits.(en.wikipedia.org) He worked for patrons ranging from the Duke of Burgundy, Philip the Good, to foreign courts, with his work exported to Italy and Spain.(en.wikipedia.org) By mid-century, he had eclipsed Jan van Eyck in popularity.(en.wikipedia.org) Over time his renown faded, but from the 18th century onward, his status was gradually restored, and today he is regarded—alongside Robert Campin and Jan van Eyck—as one of the three supreme masters of Early Netherlandish painting.(en.wikipedia.org)

Though his oeuvre is limited in surviving works, many are universally attributed and widely admired. His masterworks include The Descent from the Cross (c. 1435, Prado, Madrid); Saint Luke Drawing the Virgin (c. 1435–1440); the Miraflores Altarpiece; the Seven Sacraments (Chevrot Altarpiece); the Braque Triptych; the Columba (Adoration of the Magi) Triptych; and the Pietà in Brussels.(en.wikipedia.org) His work was characterized by rigorous observation, emotional realism, formal richness, and innovative composition, all delivered with expressive pathos and technical precision.(nationalgallery.org.uk)

Van der Weyden’s legacy endured well beyond his death; his emotional naturalism exerted broad influence across Europe, notably on artists in France, Germany, Spain, and Italy.(en.wikipedia.org)

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This version preserves only the accurate, verifiable details about Rogier van der Weyden’s life, training, major works, patrons, and lasting influence—all grounded in reliable historical documentation and art historical scholarship. Let me know if you'd like any further refinements or elaborations.