The Weston Triptych was originally a three-part painted altarpiece of which only two wings now remain in the collection of the Museum of the Order of St John. The outside wings show St John the Baptist on the left and the Holy Trinity – Father, Son and Holy Ghost (in the form of a dove) – on the right. The inside wings, which would only have been visible on special occasions, when the altarpiece doors were opened, show scenes from the early life of the Virgin Mary on the reverse of the John the Baptist panel, and the Presentation of Christ in the Temple on the reverse of the Trinity panel.

The painting is attributed to a follower of Rogier van der Weyden (1400 -1464), a Netherlandish artist who was renowned throughout Europe for his skill with the new medium of oil paint and for the realism and emotional impact of his paintings. His paintings were bought by many major patrons and wealthy institutions and, as a result, his work was seen by, and influenced, many other artists of the period. The style and technique of the painting indicate an artist from the school of van der Weyden, possibly Colijn de Coter (c1445-1522), though an exact attribution cannot be made, as no documents survive relating to its original commission.

One panel bears the arms of John Weston, Grand Prior of the Order of St John from 1476-1489, who presented the altarpiece to the Priory Church around 1480. John Weston had been the Captain of the Galleys and was known as a skilful diplomat. One shield shows his coat of arms and the other his badge, a cabled anchor.

The Triptych was probably removed from the Priory Church in 1540, when the Order was suppressed by Henry VIII, and the central panel was lost. The side panels were discovered at Milton Abbey in Dorset by the Order in 1915 and they were finally bought from the Hambro family in 1932. The Triptych was originally displayed in the Priory Church but was moved to the Museum galleries, on the advice of conservation experts, so that the paint surface could be better preserved and maintained under museum conditions.

Further reading:

Abrahams, P., The Restoration and Conservation of the Weston Triptych and Other Works of Art of the Order of St John (St John Historical Society Proceedings, 1987-88)

Grossinger, C, North European Panel Paintings (Harvey Miller, 1992)