Jan van Eyck (c. 1390–1441) was one of the great Renaissance masters of Flanders, a region of Europe that included parts of present-day Belgium, France, and the Netherlands. Van Eyck is known for highly realistic portraits of royalty and other prominent people.
With his skillful manipulation of oil paints, Van Eyck could mimic surface textures ranging from craggy rock formations to gleaming metal objects and soft furs. He also made a careful study of natural light and how it reflects off different surfaces. As a result, many Van Eyck paintings have a realistic three-dimensional quality that fools the eye. It seems as if you could reach into one of his paintings and pick up objects on a table or feel the softness of the fur trim on a velvet cloak.
Van Eyck intentionally engaged his viewers, making them feel like they are part of the composition. Strategically placed mirrors in some Van Eyck paintings show reflections of events taking place beyond the boundaries of the picture plane.
The Arnolfini Portrait is one of Van Eyck’s best-known paintings. It is a formal portrait of a wealthy Flemish couple. Natural light from the window on the left illuminates the faces of the figures, who join hands at the center of the composition. Van Eyck creates a wide range of surface textures in this painting: rich velvets, polished brass, wooden floors, a fuzzy dog. A convex mirror hangs on the wall, framed by the couple, at the center of the composition. The mirror reflects two figures standing in a doorway. (One of them may be the artist himself.) The reflection implies that these figures occupy the viewer’s space, linking the world of the painting with the real world. A Latin inscription over the mirror translates to “Jan van Eyck was here, 1434.”
The Arnolfini Portrait is like a hidden-objects game: The longer and more closely you observe it, the more details you’ll find. Everything in this room is symbolic, providing viewers with information about the people in the portrait. For instance, the couple’s velvet clothing is trimmed with expensive fur, and their surroundings include a large canopy bed, an ornate carpet, and a chandelier. All of these things indicate wealth and high social status— including the oranges, which were a luxury in Renaissance Flanders.
The Arnolfini Portrait is filled with complex symbolism relating to marriage and Christianity, but not all art historians agree on what each symbol represents. Some experts say that the portrait shows the actual wedding ceremony and that the man is raising his hand as he recites vows. Others say that he is probably just raising his hand in greeting to the people reflected in the mirror. Some historians say the dog symbolizes faithfulness and the cast-off shoes may indicate that this is a sacred occasion. A small figure of Saint Margaret, the patron saint of expectant mothers, is carved into the bedpost in the background. But experts do seem to agree that the woman is not pregnant—she is merely holding up the excess folds of her flowing velvet gown.