Jan van Eyck - Arnolfini Wedding Portrait (A3)

Self Portrait, Man in a Red Turban, 1433

Jan van Eyck is an Netherlandish painter from the early 15th century. Vasari accused van Eyck of being the inventor of oil painting. Creator of the method he is not but he was the first well known European painter to master the technique. You can see this in the rich, deep colors of his paintings.

Arnolfini Wedding Portrait, 1434

The Arnolfini Wedding Portrait is loaded with symbolism and historical nuances. This painting is so perplexing that Art Historians are still debating different theories about this painting almost 600 years after it was painted!

A quick note about the title. There is no official title given by the artist. The commission was originally thought to be an original marriage certificate (artists' signature in the back, two witnesses in the mirror, etc.) but it has also been debated that this painting could be a commemorative piece. It may even be a symbol of new beginning while the couple as trying to conceive.

For the sake of brevity I will list the symbolism and other element of the painting. Enjoy!

Shoes/Clogs - Symbolise holy ground. The are also a wedding gift to the bride and a symbol of domestic tranquility and stability.

Dog - Loyalty OR Lust (wanting to have a child)

Window - One the man's side, this shows he has access to a life outside.

Bed - One the woman's side, the bed symbolises her fertility and the marriage bed. She should stay home and be domestic and make babies.

Also, notice the color and elaborateness of the bed. The color of red show lust and passion and the glamor of the fabric and folds and trimmings show a significant amount of wealth.

Clothing - Along with the bed, if you can see out of the window outside you can tell that it is summer. The subject are dressed in their finest, trimmed in fur and fold, every stop is pulled out. These people want every viewer to know how much many they have.

Artist's Signature - It's in the back, it says "van Eyck was here, 1434." As I mentioned before, this is part of the marriage certificate argument. It is also unique that van Eyck paints himself into the picture but he is not painting (he is also seen in the mirror reflection with one more viewer).

Dress - The woman is not pregnant. The current queen was pregnant so it was fashionable to look like her. I have also heard that the large amount of fold in the front of the dress was fashionable for saints.

Cherries - One the tree out the window, they show purity and innocence.

Oranges - Symbolise Eden before man, innocence and purity. In the Netherlands (van Eyck) oranges displayed wealth. In Italy (Arnolfini) oranges show fecundity.

Chandelier & Candle - Elaborate chandelier (wealth), the candle is part of a Flemish marriage custom to have a candle lit during the day. It could also be the presence of God in the painting.

Camera Obscura (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camera_obscura)

White Cap - Purity on her head

Open Curtain - More on the fact that he is free to go out in the world is she is stuck in the bed. Also, their marriage is now public.

Convex Frame Mirror - Each medallion has a scene from the passion of Christ, salvation for the sitter. Buying salvation? Maybe.

I could go on and on but maybe not tonight. :)

You can view some of the under drawings http://sciencestage.com/v/192/the-arnolfini-wedding-portrait-van-eyck-netherlands-imagery-x-ray-animation.html

Assignment 3: Please van Eyck's Ghent Altar Piece and to do a quick Wolfflin to the bottom center panel. The I want you to pick 3 paintings (past or present) and find 5 pieces of symbolism in each painting. Feel free to make guesses, they don't have to be cold hard fact. An artist creates a piece and releases it to the viewer for interpretation. No answer is wrong. In your analysis of the three paintings please include 5 symbols or elements from the Arnolfini Wedding Portrait. The five Arnolfini elements can be throughout the 3 paintings you analyze.

Have fun!