The Arnolfini Double Portrait: A Simple Solution By: Jordan Butterfield, Sarah Lozano, Charis Ammon

Inventory Analysis: Both interpret as a marriage portrait: Marcus van Vaernewyck, 1568; Karel van Mander, 1604. Collection of Margaret of Austria at Marlines: three inventories that all describe the male as Don Diego de Guevara, a Spanish nobleman. Given to Mary of Hungary when she moved to Spain in 1556. Next given to the King of Spain when Mary of Hungary died.

Inventory Analysis (continued): King Charles II of Spain: described the frame with quotations from Ovid, the woman as pregnant, and the couple as getting married by night. From the Peninsula War onward, inventories stopped mentioning the names of the figures in the portrait. The painting’s original frame was lost between 1700-1842.

Introduction to Posthumous Argument: Lorne Campbell: concluded that the man’s identity was Giovanni di Nicolao Arnolfini, but believed the woman to be his second wife since Costanza Trenta died a year before the painting was completed. There are no records of Giovanni remarrying, so Koster believes the woman to be his deceased wife.

Fake Room? Scale Discrepancy: Typical of Jan Van Eyck: Mirror, Chandelier, Figures Typical of Jan Van Eyck: Built imaginary spaces Actually area couldn’t physically exist (structure) Is this a memory? A vision of husband with dead wife?

Clothing: Fancy Clothing: Blue/ Green Color: Black Color: Wouldn’t wear this inside Typical for what husband would buy to show off wife. Women would return the clothes in will. Pregnant stomach, and train. (Represented in picture) Blue/ Green Color: These colors represent EXTREME love and faithfulness. - “These meanings were so specific that they nearly rendered both colors unsuitable for regular clothing” Black Color: -represents extreme sorrow or mourning - this was before black clothing became popular, so only used to represent emotion.

Remembrance?: Memories of women were short: Death was public: Only important women would be brought to public attention. Vows were common for mourning “On some occasions the vows are addressed to the ‘much beloved’ who is but a pale remnant of herself.” Death was public: Final opportunity to shape the ideal Memoires made for public to see (common for lifelike portraits)

Interpretation using historical context: As Huizinga reminds us, “the history of culture has just as much to do with dreams of beauty and the illusions of a noble life as with population figures and statistics.” Christian symbolism vs. secular interpretation Importance of taking courtly context of Bruges in 1434 into account.

Transi tombs and Double Portraits Transi tombs represent the dead in the early stages of decomposition. Double portraits use mirrors and the reverse sides of panels to show the relationship between life and death. Images of an idealized couple with cadaverous counterparts on the reverse side of panels began to appear in the mid 1450’s.

Imagery of Death Costanza Arnolfini died childless around the age of twenty- possibility of dying in childbirth. Hung beds, as in this portrait, were typically used to show birth or death. Symbolic interpretations of: floor decoration, mirror, carving on the wooden bench, candlesticks, dog in the foreground, and the depiction of St. Margaret found on the chair.

Posthumous representation of Costanza? Infrared reflectography shows no under- drawings for the dog, chandelier or the chair with St. Margaret. Also, the size of the mirror is altered- possible interpretations? The under-drawing shows a change in Arnolfini’s grip on Costanza’s hand and the placement of his raised hand.