Roger Van der Weyden (c. 1400-1464) was the most outstanding painter among the Flemish after the Van Eyck brothers. Building upon the unique delicate naturalistic realism of the French school, his quiet and elegant style was clearly influenced by contemporary Italian Renaissance painters such as Fra Angelico (who resided in Florence in 1450). He frequently expressed emotion through his distinctive fine linear forms and bright colors, perfectly conveying a transcendent religious sentiment and presenting a world distinct from that of the Van Eyck brothers.

The Lamentation (c. 1450) is Roger Van der Weyden's most representative and mature masterpiece. Influenced by the Florentine school, it best exemplifies the enhanced dramatic expression of tragic figures' facial expressions. In this monumental landscape featuring mountainous terrain and tombs, the serene body of Jesus Christ, just unbound from the distant cross, lies wrapped in a white sheet. His lifeless form is supported by five dignitaries: on the left, the Virgin Mary wears a deep blue robe and white headscarf, her face showing emotional wailing; on the right, the young Saint John (Saint-Jean), barefoot and wearing a crimson robe, leans over to support Jesus. Behind them, two elderly dignitaries—one bald, one wearing a hat—support Jesus' body in embroidered noble garments. In front, Mary Magdalene kneels sorrowfully by the tombstone facing Jesus.

Jesus' body stands out against the white background as the core of the composition. The surrounding figures are arranged in motion to strengthen rhythmic structure, achieving perfection through bright colors, emotionally conveying the tragic and dramatic atmosphere. Three crosses on the distant mountains reinforce the narrative story, while winding paths on both sides guide the viewer's gaze toward medieval city-states in the distance, offering breathing space within the suffocating tragic scene and inviting imagination.