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The sheer technical brilliance and almost photographic detail of work by Jan van Eyck (c.1390–1441) are self-evident in paintings such as Virgin and Child with Canon van der Paele and The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb . Van Eyck’s work had a major impact on Italian art, and helped fuel the Renaissance.

One of the leading Flemish “Primitives”, Rogier van der Weyden (c.1400–64) is best known for the intense emotion of his work, such as The Seven Sacraments in the Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten, Antwerp (see Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten). Working mainly in Brussels, he became the leading painter after the death of van Eyck.

German-born Hans Memling (c.1433–94) was probably trained by Rogier van der Weyden, and went on to become one of the most successful artists of his day. His control of composition, colour and detail results in works that combine beauty with profound compassion (see Two Museums of Bruges).

During the 16th century, Flemish artists turned to Italy for inspiration, which muddied their distinctive north European vision. But Pieter Brueghel (c.1525–69) rejected this trend and painted in a personal style based on what he saw around him. His depictions of rural villages have an affectionate charm and honest naivety.

Almost all the best Flemish artists trained in Italy in the 16th century, and no one made more of this experience than Pieter Paul Rubens (1577–1640). He combined his prodigious Flemish technique with Italian flourish to produce art full of verve and dynamism.

A colleague and friend of Rubens, Antoon van Dyck (1599– 1641) matched many of Rubens’ skills, and addressed a similar range of subject matter. Van Dyck, however, is best known for his portraits. He became court painter to Charles I of England, who rewarded him with a knighthood.

After Rubens’ death, another of his collaborators Jacob Jordaens (1593–1678) became Antwerp’s leading painter. He is best remembered for allegorical paintings expressing the joie-devivre of the Baroque age.

The work of James Ensor (1860–1949) has earned him a reputation as one of art history’s great eccentrics. His paintings incorporate skeletons, masks and hideous caricatures (see Skeletons Fighting over a Pickled Herring).

Some memorable images of Surrealism came from the studio of Paul Delvaux (1897–1994). He is famous for his sensual, trance-like pictures of somnolent nudes in incongruous settings.

The dreamlike paintings of René Magritte (1898–1967) rank alongside Salvador Dali’s work as archetypal Surrealism. Magritte, however, is famous for a modest lifestyle, witnessed at Brussels’ Musée René Magritte.