The Nativity; and The Presentation in the Temple: wings from an altarpiece

The compositions repeat those of the wings of the altarpiece of The Adoration of the Magi from the studio of David, of which the central panel is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, and the wings in a European private collection (see M.W. Ainsworth, in the catalogue of the exhibition, From Van Eyck to Brueghel, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1999, p. 314-5, under no. 84, illustrated). The central panel was formerly attributed to the Master of Hoogstraeten by Max Friedländer, but has more recently been reassigned to David's studio (see H.J. van Miegroet, Gerard David, Antwerp, 1998, p. 312, no. 51).

The present compositions were repeated by the Master of Hoogstraeten in two sections of the altarpiece of The Adoration in the John G. Johnson Collection, Philadelphia Museum of Art. That of The Presentation in the Temple also recurs in a wing from an altarpiece by the Master in the Koninklijk Museum, Antwerp, and it is possible that these present panels are also by the artist. The identity of the Master is not known, although attempts have been made to link him with the Passchier van der Mersch, a Fleming who was one of Hans Memling's students.