Jan van Eyck, The Arnolfini Portrait, oil on oak, possibly Belgium ca. 1434, The National Gallery London.
A closeup of the convex mirror on the back wall, symbolizing enormous detail.
Many paintings around the world could be recognized almost instantly. Society’s knowledge of art history is extremely plausible and is spread across the many periods of artistic creation. Since many of these artworks are extremely antique, the mystery shrouding them is extremely common. One of the most celebrated and fascinating pieces in the world is the Arnolfini Portrait. Within, an opulently dressed man and woman could be found standing in a room, crowded with emotions of love and luxury. It appears Jan van Eyck created a room through what he saw through his eyes. Singular items have been chosen in hopes of declaring the couple’s wealth and possible political and social status. The exterior of the house is brick. The window appears open, overlooking an extraordinary garden containing a flourishing cherry tree. The opulent and sizeable bed appears in the back, doused in luxurious red cloth and cushions. Its emphasis makes it the most expensive item in the painting. Additional fabrics crowd the chair and the bench near the bedside. Both are carved with such intricate detail. The room is a reception room rather than a bedroom and a palace. A carpet is seen lying on the floor behind the bashful woman, as an ornate brass chandelier hangs from the shadowed ceiling. Numerous small details appear in this work revolving around wealth, including miscellaneously spread oranges reflected by polished wood material. Many foods, including fruit, were extremely expensive during the fifteenth century. The bed casts an intimidating shadow and reflections upon the wall. The convex mirror towards the back wall is surrounded by religious images and depictions of popular scenes within a church. The boarded floor appears to extend toward the viewer, providing a sense of connection with the scene. As opposed to the common architecture of walls, they appear plastered. Many walls were either covered with tapestries or paneled. The painting acts as a looking glass into a glamorous reception room within an enjoyable mansion of an affluent trader. The nature of the room directly correlates to the grandeur of the couple. The clothing of both appears costly, but not ostentatious. Toward the left, the gentleman wears an oversized hat paired with an inky coat, possibly containing velvet, decorated with fur. Underneath, it is probable that there is a tight padded jacket cuffed with silver. His muddied overshoes lie to the right of the man. Toward the right, the young woman wears an excellent green overdress containing wool. The intricate sleeves and elongated train pull the viewer’s attention. Both fall, the sleeves around the waist and the train surrounding the feet. The train is decorated with fur, believed to resemble ermine. Opposed to the common thought, the woman is not pregnant. She appears so because she is holding up her stocky gown in the common way women did. Her hair is pulled up in a humble style, covered with a folded veil. For many years, the Arnolfini Portrait was theorized as a marriage ceremony, which is not correct. They are husband and wife though. The Arnolfini family was a large group of merchants in Italy, containing many members located in Bruges, Belgium. The identities of both individuals continue to be a mystery. The most probable candidate for the male is Giovanni di Nicolao di Arnolfini, who would have been in his thirties close to the production of the painting. The female is completely unknown but is thought to be his second wife whose name is unknown. Both are believed to be friends with the talented van Eyck. He also created another portrait of the same gentleman at an older age, which is currently housed at the Staatliche Museen in Berlin. The star of this painting is one of the most minor details of the piece. This is the round mirror hanging in the middle, with its convex glass stretched. It not only portrays the flattened couple and room itself, but also two mysterious men arriving through the door behind the viewer. The first gentleman seen is raising his left arm while walking down the steps from the hallway. Extremely close to the mirror lies a signature: Johannes de Eyck fuit hic 1434, translating to Jan van Eyck was here 1434. Both men in the mirror are theorized to be Jan van Eyck and his servant appearing for a get-together. After an analysis was done, it was concluded how the painting was created. The process of infrared reflectography provides information pointing to the idea that an underdrawing was completed in secluded stages. In the first, the figures, basic architecture of the room, and the major furniture pieces were sketched. During this period, many of the details distinguishable in the result were absent. This includes the chandelier, the tender terrier, the detailed chair, and the thrown shoes, which were painted without a sketch at a later stage of creation. After the sketch was done, both the man’s and woman’s body composition and facial features were changed. In the beginning sketch, Arnolfini himself held a stranger facial structure and a larger head. His feet were pointed in a different area, making the position itself change. His now large hat was even bigger. Initially, his wife appeared to look up toward Arnolfini with lower, more subtle features. In van Eyck’s art, he usually altered the appearances of figures to highlight the structure and formation of the hands and heads. In the Arnolfini Portrait, the gentleman’s facial composition has been severely changed. It is extremely blurry when it comes to finding how Arnolfini truly looked but based on the portraits, he was believed to be a strange-looking man. After the first stage of the sketch, he improved Arnolfini’s features and details. It is also strongly believed that the room in the painting wasn’t how the couple’s literal home appeared. Even though it seems that van Eyck removed a wall of the room, close research says different. There were multiple inconsistencies and proportion issues. Contrary to the period, nothing is suggesting a fireplace and the chandelier was unable to sit within the space it occupied. The bed seems almost too short for the couple and the iconic convex mirror toward the back wall seems extremely large compared to other items in the piece. As per his usual work, the talented artist painted a persuasive form of reality but changed proportions and details in hopes of fitting with his limits and aesthetic preferences. It may have been changed to please Arnolfini and his aspirations. As opposed to the other portions of the painting, the pigments utilized appear normal in color and material. Jan van Eyck utilized his skill rather than a technical alteration to convey reality. Though the painting seems intricate and perfect, it was completed freely and quickly through multiple techniques. He would bounce the paintbrush from the wood panel to reach small aspects of color. Van Eyck utilized his fingers as well. This can be concluded, as we see his thumbprint near the shadow of the terrier and the brush technique could be seen near the bed, as the bristles hang, scratched into the paint. After all these years, the Arnolfini Portrait still holds a fascinating legacy. During the sixteenth century, it was held by Margaret of Austria, Regent of the Netherlands. Later, it was sent to the Spanish royal collection. It is unknown who it was in the possession of next, but it was documented to be in the ownership of James Hay, a Scottish soldier who participated in the Peninsular War. It is undisclosed how he received it, but he brought the piece to England, and it was purchased by the National Gallery in 1842 for 600 Guineas. It was the first Netherlandish painting to be purchased by the museum. The piece is composed of oil on oak and van Eyck’s signature. The mystery that surrounds the Arnolfini Portrait controls whoever views the piece. Between its history and technique, its one of the most miraculous paintings to exist.
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