Expert Anne van Oosterwijk, head of the collection department at Musea Brugge

‘The Death of the Virgin’ is one of the absolute masterpieces in Musea Brugge’s collection. It was created by Hugo van der Goes, an artist who is rather obscure today. But he is actually very important.

Hugo van der Goes worked in Ghent and Brussels in the mid-fifteenth century. He was revered by his fellow artists and had a long following. As a result, his style and compositions were hugely influential after his death.

‘The Death of the Virgin’ is a late work. Hugo van der Goes painted it when he was at the Red Cloister, where he stayed from around 1475. It depicts Mary lying on a bed, just prior to her death. Or just after it, we can’t be sure. The apostles are miraculously reunited. They travelled far and wide to spread the faith. But just before Mary expires, they return to her deathbed. You can see Jesus above the bed. This is because Mary, as the mother of God, is the only person who can ascend directly to heaven.

The heads of the apostles are one of the most compelling things about this painting. Their emotions are highly personalised. They are introspective. These are not extreme emotions, but you understand that they are preoccupied by the event they are witnessing. And that, I think, is one of the reasons why this is such a universal work. It captures your attention, even if you don’t understand the subject. But those heads grab you and won’t let go.