His Masterpieces & his ‘The Arnolfini Marriage’ (1434) Jan Van Eyck c1390 -1441 His Masterpieces & his ‘The Arnolfini Marriage’ (1434) Cover slide. References 100 Masterpieces of Art, Marina Vaizey, 1979, Paragon Books. P14. A Dictionary of Art & Artists. Peter and Linda Murray. 1968. Penguin. P137. Atlas of the Renaissance, C Black, M Greengrass, D Howarth, J Lawrance, R Mackenney, Black, M Rady, E Welch. Cassell 1994. p18 Discovering the great Paintings. 1992. Fabbri. Volume 6. issue 55. Secret Knowledge, David Hockney. 2001. Thames & Hudson. P82. The Great Artists. Marshall Cavendish. Volume 3. part 30. http://www.open2.net/renaissance/prog1/script/scriptp3.htm Version control. Version 1 – initial release Version 2 – with transitions and pop-up answers. Version 2.5 – changed to text. 1432 1434 1434 1435 First created. 20 Jun 2005. Version 3.2 22 Dec 2010. Jerry Tse, London. All rights reserve. Available free for non-profitable and non-commercial use only.

The Northern Renaissance Western painting made a decisive break with the past, in the 15th century over 500 years ago. Changes took place in the south, in Italy and in Flanders in the north (modern day Belgium & Netherlands). In Italy, it centred around Florence. In Flanders, it centred around the ports of Ghent, Brugge (Bruges) and Antwerpen (Antwerp). Flanders was the financial and cultural centre of Northern Europe; it was amongst the most prosperous places in Europe. Panoramic view of Florence 2003 In the 15C Western painting made a decisive break with the past. The changes took place in two areas – Italy, in the south and the Low Countries in the north (modern Belgium and Netherlands, also known as the Flanders). The Flanders was one of the richest land in Europe. The prosperity was centred around the port of Gent, Brugge (Bruges) and Antwerp. When the Count of Flanders died in 1384, Flanders was passed to the Duke of Burgundy, Philip II, who married the daughter of the count. Dukes of Burgundy built a state, including Flanders and Brabant, between France and Germany. Burgundy, the rising star of the 15th century was partitioned after Charles the Bold was killed in the battle in 1477. The Times Atlas of the world. 3rd edition. 1989 p150. Van Eyck lived under the reign of Philip III, Duke of Burgundy (Philip the Good or Philippe le Bon, 1396-1467). Philip III became Duke of Burgundy in 1419. Guild houses Ghent 2002

Jan van Eyck Jan van Eyck was born before 1390. Very little is known about his early life before 1422. He moved to Bruges in 1430 and lived there until he died in 1441. He was one of the greatest and most influential painters. His imagery was realistic, full of naturalistic details and he belonged to the Early Netherlandish School. Van Eyck is the first painter who used and mastered the technique of oil painting. He was employed as a court painter by Philip the Good, the powerful Duke of Burgundy, and enjoyed patronage of the rich and famous. He was also a diplomat and undertook numerous ambassadorial journey for the Duke. Man in Tuban (probably a self-portrait). 1433. Van Eyck. National Gallery. London. A motto was found on this painting ‘Als ich kan’ (As I can). Jan van Eyck was born before 1390 and died in 1441. Early Netherlandish School. He is seen as the forefather of the Flemish Primitive school. He was one of the greatest revolutionaries in art and changed the way in which we look at the natural world. Rogier van der Weyden c.1400-1464 combined van Eyck’s light and realism with work of religious intensity. Portrait. Man in a red turban, 1433 NG London. ‘Als ich kan’ (As I can) Jan van Eyck was one of the first artist to use and master the technique of oil painting. He was credited wrongly by Vasari for the discovery of oil painting. Jan van Eyck moved to Bruges probably in 1430 and lived ther he died. His other master pieces. Adoration of the Lamb, 1432. Ghent. The Madonna and Chancellor Rolin, c1435, Louvre. Madonna and Child c1434, Bruges. Apart from The Arnolfini Marriage, he also painted the Adoration of the Lamb, in 1432, Ghent ; The Madonna and Chancellor Rolin, c1435, Lourve ; Madonna and Child, c1434, Bruges.

The Historical Context Michelanglo 1475-1564 Da Vinci 1452-1519 Campin 1375-1444 Van Eyck 1390-1441 Robert Campin, who also painted in similar way is included in above for comparison. When Van Eyck painted the Arnolfini Marriage, most of the famous Florentine painters were not yet born. It was painted over 70 years before Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa or Michelanglo’s Sistine chapel. Van Eyck’s painting look far more true to life than his contemporaries in Italy, as illustrated by the portrait of St Paul by Masaccio on the right. Van Eyck was simply years ahead of his Italian counterparts. His contemporty painters – Italy & North. Example of paintings. Bar chart to Michaelanglo. San Paol. 1426. Masaccio. Italian. Museo Nazionale. Pisa.

The Ghent Altarpiece Exterior of the altarpiece Interior of the altarpiece The Ghent Altarpiece is one of the greatest artistic achievement of 15C (1432). The altarpiece is very large and was painted for the Cathedral of St Bavo. It was began by Hubert Van Eyck, Jan’s elder brother, but finished by Jan Van Eyck. The altarpiece is made up of two sides, the Exterior and the Interior.

The Ghent Altarpiece - Exterior When Ghent Altarpiece is closed, the paintings on the Exterior tells the story about the coming of Jesus.

The Ghent Altarpiece - Interior

The Ghent Alterpiece - Interior

The Ghent Alterpiece - Interior

Madonna & Child with Canon van de Paele

Madonna & Child with Canon van de Paele Paele (right) was painted with bald and wrinkled head, holding his spectacle, which distorted the text in the book. Below is the detail of the costume of St Donatian and St George.

A comparison with a Italian painting of same period – note the treatment of the costumes

Madonna and Chancellor Rolin Nicolas Rolin was Chancellor of Burgundy and Brabant. The three arches are probably intended to symbolize the Trinity. Though the arches is a breathtaking landscape of a city, showing the mastery of Van Eyck in dealing with perspective and space.

Madonna and Chancellor Rolin

A comparison with the Italian landscape of same period Adoration of the Magi (detail). 1423 by Gentile de Fabriano, Uffizi St George and the Princess of Trebizond (detail). 1436 by Pisanello. Church of Sa Anstasia, Verona.

The Arnolfini Wedding Most people are often disappointed or surprised when they see the painting for the first time because of its small size. About the same size as a small bathroom mirror. We see a rather ugly man with a big hat holding the hand of a woman, who looks like that she is pregnant, with strange hair and headdress standing in a rather small bedroom. We start to wonder why this is a masterpiece. We are not impressed! This is because we look at the painting through modern eyes and judge by aesthetics alone. We ignore the historical context in which it was painted. First impression Ugly man with a big hat and a pregnant woman in a small room, far from a masterpiece. The Arnolfini Marriage.1434. 82x60 cm. Oil on Panel. Jan Van Eyck The National Gallery, London.

The Technical Achievements How is it possible that reflections in the mirror appear so realistic, even before the laws of perspective were discovered? Between the late 1420s and the early 1430s, paintings in Flanders suddenly look much more photographic. Painters in Flanders had discovered use of the lens and projected images to help them to paint; employing a device called Camera Obscura to do this. Camera Obscura means ‘dark room’ in Latin. Van Eyck may have used such device. The Arnolfini Wedding The mirror in the painting. The mirror and the perspective. Why the reflection on the mirror is so accurate. Even before the discovery of the law of perspective. Between the late 1420s and early 1430s, suddenly paintings in Flanders look much more naturalistic, with photographic looking images. It is generally accepted that painters in Flanders discovered the use of lens to project images, which A pair of spectacle painted by Jan Van Eyck in 1434. Only 5 years separate the two portraits. Left. Masolino da Panicale c1425. Right Robert Campin c1430.

Comparison of portraits of 15C of the northern Europe and Italy

The Display of Wealth The man in the painting was Giovanni Arnolfini, a rich silk merchant from Lucca in Tuscany, who settled in Brugge. The lady in the painting was Giovanna Cenami, daughter of a prominent Italian financier. The entire painting is filled with objects of wealth. The Arnolfini Wedding Details. Apple on the window ledge and oranges on the table. The house was built with bricks, as can be seen from the wall shown outside the window. Underneath the window, oranges are painted that could only have come from southern European. The couple are opulently dressed in fur and expensive white ermine. The Turkish carpet on the floor, the hangings on the bed, the mirror and the chandelier were all items of luxury. The Arnolfini Marriage.1434. Jan Van Eyck. The painting depict Giovanni Arnolfini and Giovanna Cenami Who are they? Giovanni died in 1470 and Ciovanna died 10 years later and left no children. Painted in Brugge. Giovanni Arnolfini is a silk merchant from Tuscany. House is built of brick, rich clothes, hanging of the bed, Turkish carpet, mirror, oranges all signs of prosperity. Details. Fur on Arnolfini’s cloth. Fur lining on Cenami’ cloth. Turkey carpet on the floor.

Allegory & Cultural Symbols Allegory is used by painters to represent abstract concepts like bravery, faith or royalty. Religious symbols can be found littered in the painting; apples as fruit from the Tree of Knowledge, the Carving of St Margaret patron saint of childbirth, Prayer beads and a single candle on the chandelier signifying the presence of Christ. In contrast, secular symbols were also used; dogs for fidelity, a bed for the consummation of marriage, the blue sleeves & the white lining worn by the lady denote purity, clogs cast away representing the abandoning of daily chores on this solemn occasion. The Arnolfini Wedding Mirror on the wall. Use of symbols as representations of abstract qualities, like faith, bravery, royalty etc. is known as allegory. Dog is a sign of fidelity. Apple on the window ledge may be a symbol of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge. Carving of S Margaret, patron saint of childbirth, on the back of the chair represents childbirth. Bed represents the consummation of marriage. Christ’s Passion on the roundels of the mirror. Prayer beads, rosary made of crystal or amber. A single candle signifying the presence of Christ (Spirit of God, burns in the ornate brass chandelier.. The pregnant as a symbol of purpose of marriage and prophecy. The voluminous dress was the fashion than that its folds conceal her pregnancy. The blue of the woman’s sleeves and underskirt may be used to denote purity. Man’s Clogs. Casting away his clogs, to indicate this event took place in holy ground. Defined the relationship of marriage in both worldly and spiritual terms. Giovanna’s clogs Chandelier Dog Giovanni’s clogs

Was it a Marriage? The painting tells us this was an important occasion. Above the mirror, van Eyck wrote “Johannes de Eyck fuit hic 1434” (van Eyck was here) as witness to the occasion. The lone candle on the chandelier signifying the presence of Christ. So if this was a marriage, then why were only four persons present, two of whom only shown in the reflection on the mirror? Shouldn’t we expect more people? In the 15th Century it was customary for the couple to exchange vows before marriage; an engagement. The painting depicts the moment when Arnolfini took the hand of Cenami and raised his left hand, as he betrothed (vowed to marry) his future bride. In fact, the painting commemorates the Betrothal between Arnolfini and Cenami. The Arnolfini Wedding Giovanni Arnolfini, also painted by van Eyck. Giovanna Cenami Arnlfini became a councillor to the Duke of Burgundy and was knighted in 1462. He died in 1472 in Brugge, 38 years after the painting and two years before the birth of Michelanglo. Cenami died ten years later and the couple perished childless, with no evidence that they had raised any children. In 1470, Arnolfini was sued by a woman, who wanted jewellery that he had given her, returned to her. She also sought a pension and several houses that she had been promised. So it appears, Arnolfini may have married Cenami for her money after all. Jan van Eyck died seven years after he painted this picture. He is now widely recognized as one of the greatest painters who ever lived. Depicts the moment, when a couple exchanging their wedding vows. Two witnesses in the mirror. “Jan van Eck was was here in 1434”. The present of Christ Only four persons in the room. Giovanni died in 1472 buried in Brugge (Augustinian church) and Ciovanna died 10 years later and left no children. Giovanni married Giovanna Cenami the daughter of one of the most prominent Lucchese families established in northern Europe. Giovanna's grandmother was the niece of Dino Rapondi who along with his three brothers were close financial advisors and bankers for the Dukes Philip the Bold, John the Fearless, and Philip the Good of Burgundy at the end of the fourteenth century and the beginning of the fifteenth century. In 1432 when the last of the four Rapondi brothers died, Philip the Good had a special mass sung for them. Marriage alliances like that between the Cenami and Rapondi families were not private but public matters with the futures of the families' businesses inextricably linked. For Giovanni Arnolfini marrying into such a prominent family as the Cenamis was undoubtedly a significant boost to his financial fortunes. Unfortunately, we do not know which year they were married. So while not certain, the identification of the couple as Giovanni Arnolfini and Giovanna Cenami seems likely.

The End Music - Unchained Melody by Deborah Nyack First impression Ugly man with a big hat and a pregnant woman in a small room, far from a masterpiece. The Arnolfini Marriage.1434. 82x60 cm. Oil on Panel. Jan Van Eyck The National Gallery, London. Music - Unchained Melody by Deborah Nyack