Jan van eyck arnolfini wedding
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I was looking through a book, Art Revolution, by Lisa Cyr. In it, I discovered an artwork by Cynthia von Buhler that incorporated a figure that looked oh so familiar and I finally figured it out. It appears to have been taken from a famous painting by Jan Van Eyck (before c. 1390 – before c. 9 July 1441) – “Portrait of Giovanni (?) Arnolfini and His Wife” commonly referred to as “The Arnolfini Portrait.” I decided it was time to have another look at this painting after studying it many years ago in my undergraduate life.
I remember seeing it for the first time at the National Gallery in London and being surprised at how small it was after seeing slides of it greatly enlarged. Much of the details I show here (eg the Passion of Christ around the convex mirror) can barely be seen with the naked eye.
With so much written about this artwork, it’s difficult to know where to begin and what to include. I’ve decided to give you a few interesting points and then give you a couple of links for further fascinating reading.
Anyway, here it is. Have a close look at it.
For many years, this painting was thought to be a wedding portrait, of a couple taking vows. Certainly that was the case when I was stu
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Jan van Eyck, 'The Arnolfini Portrait', 1434
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A Closer Look: Jan Van Eyck’s The Arnolfini Portrait
However, there are certain flaws in this argument. In the fifteenth century, typical betrothal ceremonies would not have depicted the bride, but instead, just the men of the family. In the case of a wedding portrait, the bride’s hair would have traditionally been worn down to symbolise virginity. This style can be seen in paintings such as van Eyck’s ‘Virgin of Canon van der Paele’, 1436.
Additionally, the room in which the ‘ceremony’ takes place would have been an unusual choice for members of the Arnolfini family. The room is not a nuptial chamber or a bedroom, as can be seen from the lack of a fireplace, and so would hint towards this being a clandestine marriage, otherwise known as a shotgun wedding. The church would have condemned this, and although legal, a couple of such high social status wouldn’t have