But amongst all the treasures she had gathered together, her picture-gallery at Malines was not the least interesting part of her wonderful collection. More than a hundred portraits and paintings are mentioned in her catalogue, chiefly by famous artists of the day. Amongst others there are several by Bernard van Orley (her Court painter), John Memling, Michel von Coxie, John van Eyck, Roger van der Weyden, Mabuse, Bouts, Jacob de Barbari, Jerome Bosch, Gerard Horembout, etc.

The John Van Eyck of John Arnolfini and his wife Joan Cenani of Lucca (who settled at Bruges in 1420), now in the National Gallery, London, was one of the gems of Margaret's collection, and is thus mentioned in her catalogues of 1516 and 1524:—

'Ung grant tableau qu'on appelle Hernoul-le-Fin avec sa femme dedens une chambre, qui fut donné à Madame par don Diégo, les armes duquel sont en la couverte dudit tableaul. Fait du painctre Johannes.'

'Ung aultre tableau fort exquis qui se clot à deux fuelletz, où il y a painctz un homme et une femme estantz desboutz touchantz la main l'ung de l'aultre, fait de la main de Johannes, les armes et devise de feu don Dieghe esdits deux feulletz nommé le personnaige: Arnoult fin.'

Its history is peculiarly interesting. Before 1490 it belonged to Don Diego de Guevara, one of Maximilian's Councillors, who added shutters to it, on the outer side of which were painted his arms and motto. Don Diego presented the picture to Margaret. After her death it came into the possession of a barber-surgeon of Bruges from whom Mary, Queen of Hungary, bought it in exchange for a place worth a hundred florins a year. The picture is mentioned in an inventory of the queen's effects in 1556. Later it was taken to Spain, and in 1789 was in Charles III.'s collection at Madrid, but afterwards fell into the hands of one of the French generals. In 1815 Major-General Hay, who had been wounded at Waterloo, found it in the house to which he was removed in Brussels, and after his recovery purchased it and brought it to England, where in 1842 it was bought by the National Gallery for £730.

JOHN ARNOLFINI OF LUCCA AND HIS WIFE JOAN
FROM THE PAINTING BY JOHN VAN EYCK
IN THE NATIONAL GALLERY
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Unfortunately we cannot thus trace the history of all Margaret's collection. Her library at Malines was hung with family portraits, from Charlemagne on through many Dukes of Burgundy—her grandfather, the Emperor Frederick; her parents, Maximilian and Mary of Burgundy; her brother Philip; her husband Philibert, Duke of Savoy; her nephews and nieces, at different ages, were all portrayed; and there was also a portrait of herself as a girl. Her pictures are all fully entered in her catalogue, with such charming descriptions as:—'Une petite Nostre-Dame disant ses heures, faicte de la main de Michel (Coxie) que Madame appelle sa mignonne et le petit dieu dort,' or 'Ung petit tableau ront de Nostre-Dame que Madame fait mettre au chevet de son lit,' or 'Ung petit paradis ou sont touxs les apôtres,' etc.

Margaret not only collected pictures, but she drew and painted skilfully herself, a most unusual accomplishment for a princess at that time, and amongst her possessions was a paint-box and brushes; she also is said to have drawn part of the plans for a church at Bruges.

During her regency architecture made great progress, and many beautiful buildings were designed and executed. The belfry at Bruges, the cloisters of the Convent of the Annunciation near the same town, and the Tower of St. Rombault at Malines, the Hôtel de Ville at Ghent, besides several churches which were restored and embellished, such as the churches of St. Peter and St. Stephen at Lille, the spire of Antwerp Cathedral and Ste. Gudule at Brussels. But the greatest monument to Margaret's memory and taste in architecture is the church of Brou, near the town of Bourg en Bresse, of which a full description is given elsewhere, and for the construction of which Mercurin de Gattinare advised 'sa très redoubtée dame de vendre jusqu'à sa dernière chemise.' In this beautiful church the spirit of Margaret seems to pervade every part, bringing into perfect harmony the work of the various Flemish, French, German, and Italian artists she employed.