Jan Van Eyck's Portrait of the Arnolfini Family Portrait.

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Analysis and Interpretation of the Arnolfini Portrait

I of the peachy panel paintings of the Netherlandish Renaissance, filled with fascinating detail and complex symbolism, the Arnolfini Portrait (sometimes called the Arnolfini Marriage/Wedding) is a formal picture of a wealthy couple belongings hands in the bedchamber of their Flemish home. It was painted in 1434 by January van Eyck (c.1390-1441), who - together with Robert Campin (1380-1444) and Roger van der Weyden (1400-64) - was a key pioneer of Flemish oil painting. The location was Bruges, at the time possibly the most important trading centre in the powerful Duchy of Burgundy, merely the picture gives no indication of the identity of the couple. It was only a century subsequently that an entry in an inventory suggested the double portrait as perhaps being that of Giovanni di Nicolao Arnolfini, a prosperous merchant from Lucca, who had an office in Bruges, and his wife Giovanna Cenami, girl of an Italian banker. This possibility is at present considered unlikely. Along with the masterpiece of religious art, the huge polyptych Ghent Altarpiece (1432, Bavo Cathedral), and the self-portrait known equally Human being in a Red Turban (1433, National Gallery, London), the Arnolfini Portrait exemplifies the contribution of Van Eyck to the naturalism of the Northern Renaissance Schoolhouse, and demonstrates the School's boggling mastery of the medium of oil painting.

Social Status

The Arnolfini Portrait provides a articulate pictorial record of the rank and social condition of the subjects. The woman's robe is trimmed with ermine fur and consists of an inordinate corporeality of fabric. A personal maid would accept been needed to accompany the woman, to hold the garment off the ground. The man is dressed in a plaited straw cap and a velvet cloak, lined with fur. These dress place the couple among the wealthy citizens of Bruges, though not yet in the acme rank. The somewhat restricted size of the chamber, the wooden clogs on the floor worn to protect against street clay, and the absence of ostentatious golden jewellery, all indicate conservative rather than noble condition. Nonetheless, the stained glass window, chandelier, ornate mirror and oriental carpet, every bit well as the groom's well-manicured hands and the expensive oranges on the side dresser, are visible indicators of significant wealth.

Union Contract

The convex mirror on the middle of the rear wall, which is exquisitely decorated with miniature medallions illustrating the Crucifixion and other stories from the Passion of Christ, reveals more details of the room. Two visitors standing in the open doorway are visible behind the viewer, as is another window forth with the wooden beams of the ceiling. Two centuries afterwards, Velazquez would imitate Van Eyck's mirror in his famous masterpiece called Las Meninas (1656, Prado).

In line with the mirror, in the centre of the moving picture, we see the couple holding easily: at to the lowest degree the man rather formally holds the limp hand of his wife in the palm of his own. The formality of the pose is likewise illustrated by the man's raised manus - suggesting he is taking an oath - as well as the arranged robe of the woman. Now nosotros understand the significance of the two people in the doorway: they are witnesses to the marriage of Arnolfini and his wife. Simply there is more than to this wedding than meets the eye.

Union of Unequals?

To begin with, Arnolfini does not take his wife's mitt in his right hand, merely in his left. This appears to symbolize what was called a "left-handed marriage" - a spousal relationship of unequals, in which the woman was obliged to forfeit all the usual rights of property and inheritance: a procedure not unlike that of a modernistic mean solar day morganatic marriage entered into by a European royal Prince and a commoner. Thus it is probable that the ii witnesses are nowadays to validate the financial contract drawn up at the fourth dimension of such a marriage. They were not necessary for the marriage anniversary itself: in 15th century Bruges, neither priest nor witnesses were needed. A couple could marry themselves, and and then ostend the organisation past attention communion together, the next morn. This is also partially confirmed by the odd sight of a single candle called-for in the chandelier: the candle symbolizes the ubiquitous Christ whose invisible presence is witness to the marriage vows.

Of class, if the couple are in fact Giovanni di Nicolao Arnolfini and his wife Giovanna Cenami, there is no question of it being a marriage betwixt unequals, as Giovanna was equally well connected. Only in 1997 information technology was established that their marriage did not take place until 1447 - some xiii years after the date of the painting, and six years after Jan Van Eyck's death. All the same, his brother Michele appears to have made such a marriage in Bruges, around the time of the painting. Other art historians retrieve the painting might represent the wedding of Giovanni di Nicolao Arnolfini and his first wife Costanza Trenta.

Fertility

The adult female in the pic is not meaning: her bulge simply illustrates the contemporary manner for voluminous robes. Fertility is nevertheless alluded to by the wooden etching on the back of a chair, visible underneath the chandelier. The etching, which overlooks the wedlock bed, represents St Margaret, the patron saint of childbirth, signalling a wish for a healthy family. To ensure a successful union, a dog in included at the couple's feet. This is a symbolic reference to faithfulness.

Complex Symbolism

As this simple guide to the Arnolfini Portrait indicates, the iconography and symbolism of this painting is almost endless, and highly complicated. The wooden clogs, for instance, may likewise exist a reference to the quote in the Book of Exodus: "Put off the shoes from thy anxiety..." signalling the sacred nature of the issue occurring in the chamber. The prominence and the unusual form of the signature ("January van Eyck was here", instead of the normal "Jan van Eyck did this") is merely one of many unclear elements in the painting.

What is clear, nevertheless, is that Van Eyck has created a piece of work with considerable religious significance, although one located in an apparently secular situation. Similar his other masterpieces, the Arnolfini Portrait had a huge affect on other Northern Renaissance artists likewise as Old Masters across southern Europe.

Provenance

It appears that the Arnolfini Portrait fell into English language hands during the Napoleonic Wars. Taken to London it was offered to the Crown, who declined information technology, before eventually being purchased in 1842, for £600, by the so recently-formed National Gallery. Current estimates suggest that the piece of work would be worth well over £100 million if ever sent for sale.

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Source: http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/famous-paintings/arnolfini-portrait.htm

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