Jan van Eyck (circa 1390–1441), Dutch painter. One of the founders of the art of the Early Renaissance in the Netherlands, Jan van Eyck in 1422–1424 worked on the decoration of the count's castle in The Hague, in 1425 he became the court painter of the Duke of Burgundy Philip the Good, in 1427 he visited Spain, in 1428–1429 - Portugal. Around 1430, Jan van Eyck settled in Bruges. The largest work of van Eyck is the famous "Ghent Altarpiece", begun, according to a later inscription on the outer doors, by van Eyck's elder brother Hubert (he worked in the 1420s in Ghent, died about 1426) and finished by Jan in 1432.
Jan van Eyck is one of the first portrait masters in Europe, who stood out in his work in independent genre. Bust, usually depicting a model in a three-quarter turn, portraits of van Eyck (“Timothy”, 1432, “Portrait of a man in a red turban”, 1433, both in the National Gallery, London; portrait of the artist’s wife Margareta, 1439, Municipal art Gallery, Bruges) are distinguished by strict simplicity and sophistication of expressive means.
The impartially truthful and careful transfer of the appearance of a person is subordinated in them to a vigilant and penetrating disclosure of the main features of his character. Jan van Eyck created the first European painting the paired portrait is an image of the merchant Giovanni Arnolfini and his wife, imbued with complex symbolism and at the same time intimate and lyrical feeling.
The landscape backgrounds in the “Adoration of the Lamb” scene in the center of the altar stand out with subtle poetry, mastery of the transfer of space and light-air environment. The pinnacle of van Eyck's work is the monumental altarpieces “Madonna of Chancellor Rolin” (circa 1436, Louvre, Paris) and “Madonna of Canon van der Pale” (1436, Municipal Art Gallery, Bruges). Developing and enriching the achievements of his predecessors, primarily R. Campin, he turns the traditional scene of worship of the Mother of God into a majestic and colorful image of the visible, real world, full of calm contemplation. The artist is equally interested in the person in all his unique individuality, and the world around him. In his compositions, portraits, landscapes, interiors, and still lifes act as equals and form a harmonious unity. The extreme thoroughness and at the same time the generalization of painting reveal the inherent value and beauty of each object, which in van Eyck's work acquires real weight and volume, a characteristic surface texture.
The details and the whole in his works are in an organic relationship: architectural elements, furnishings, flowering plants, luxurious fabrics adorned with precious stones, as if embody particles of the infinite beauty of the universe: a panoramic landscape full of light and air in the “Madonna of Chancellor Rolin” is perceived as collective image Universe.
Van Eyck's art is imbued with a deep understanding of existence as a logical embodiment of God's providence, the expression of which was a strict, thoughtful and at the same time vitally natural construction of the composition, full of a subtle sense of spatial proportion. The solution to the creative problems facing van Eyck required the development of new tools artistic expressiveness. One of the first he mastered the plastic possibilities oil painting, using thin, translucent layers of paint, laid one on top of the other (the Flemish manner of multi-layered transparent writing). This pictorial method allowed van Eyck to achieve exceptional depth, richness and luminosity of color, subtlety of light and shade and colorful transitions. The sonorous, intense, pure tones of colors in van Eyck's paintings, permeated with air and light, form a single harmonious whole.
The work of the artist van Eyck, which most vividly recreated the beauty and living diversity of the universe, to a large extent determined the paths further development Netherlandish painting, the range of its problems and interests. The powerful influence of van Eyck's art was experienced not only by the Dutch, but also Italian masters Renaissance (Antonello da Messina).
Works by Jan van Eyck, Hieronymus Bosch, Pieter Brueghel the Elder
Northern Renaissance- the era of cultural development of the middle of the sixteenth century in Germany, France, Switzerland, North Flanders and the Netherlands. Main Feature of this period is the genetic inheritance of late Gothic art. The Northern Renaissance was born in Burgundy in the court-knightly art of the painters of the Limburg brothers. Then the school of Netherlandish painting began to play the leading role in this era.
The paintings of the artists of the Dutch school were distinguished by a pantheistic worldview, the closest attention to the smallest detail or the smallest phenomenon of life.
Painting by Jan van Eyck "Portrait of the Arnolfini" is considered the most discussed painting of the era early renaissance. It encodes a lot hidden characters, indicating what the plot is actually about. Even after several centuries, disputes do not subside over who is depicted on the canvas and whether the author captured himself.
The painting was painted in Bruges in 1434. Its name became known only 100 years later from an inventory entry in one of the books. It read "A large portrait of Hernoult le Fin in a room with his wife." "Hernoult le Fin" is the French spelling of the Italian surname Arnolfini. In the 15th century, representatives of this family were quite wealthy merchants.
For a long time it was believed that the picture depicts Giovanni Arnolfini with his wife Giovanna Chenami, but according to archival data, it was found that they got married only in 1447, that is, after the picture was ready, and the artist was no longer in alive. Modern art historians are of the opinion that it could be the same merchant, but with his former wife, or it could be Arnolfini's cousin.
The picture is a visual confirmation of Arnolfini's wedding, but here the question arises that worries the minds of all researchers - was the bride pregnant. If so, then the wedding was a forced and shameful measure. Then it is clear why the marriage takes place in a small room, in no way corresponding to the high status of Arnolfini.
But there is another opinion. Fashion historians explain that in the 15th century, all women's outfits were sewn in the “a la a little pregnant” style. Thus, the woman justified herself in the eyes of the church for the sin of the night and demonstrated that she supposedly " eternal mother". Moreover, fashion experts, looking at the portrait, claim that at least 35 meters of fabric were used for Arnolfini's outfit, that is, the woman simply supports the hem of the dress so as not to step on it.
Another curious detail explaining the traditions of that time is left hand, which Arnolfini holds his wife. Here we are talking about the so-called "marriage of the left hand." Such unions were concluded between people from different social circles. A marriage contract was drawn up, according to which the wife could not claim the inheritance of her husband in the event of his death, but only for the agreed monetary compensation. This document was issued to a woman on the morning after the wedding, which is why such marriages began to be called morganic or morganatic (from the German "morgen" - "morning").
The interior of the room is filled with items symbolizing the wedding. Oranges demonstrate not only the well-being of Arnolfini (after all, they were an expensive exotic fruit), but also personify heavenly bliss. Only one candle is lit in the chandelier - a symbol of the presence of the Holy Spirit. A small dog is fidelity, a rosary is a sign of piety, a brush is purity.
Arnolfini and his wife are shown without shoes. His wooden patens lie to the side, and his wife's shoes are visible in the background. “And God said: do not come near here; put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground."- said in the Old Testament. For both, the floor of the room during the marriage was "holy ground."
The mirror on the wall deserves special attention. It reflects the figures of the main actors and the outlines of two more people. Their faces are indistinguishable, but it is clear that they are a man and a woman. Art critics suggest that van Eyck portrayed himself and his wife. Indirect confirmation of this conjecture is the inscription above the mirror: "Johannes van Eyck fuit hic", i.e. "Jan van Eyck was here."
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The Italian humanist Bartolomeo Fazio called this man best artist of his time. AND Dutch painter Karel van Mandre considered him a luminary who had risen in the world of art. Jan van Eyck- an outstanding Dutch painter who became one of the founders of the early Northern Renaissance.
The identity of the artist remains a mystery to this day, because very little documentary information has been preserved about his life and work. It is still unknown where exactly the master was born. It is generally accepted that Jan van Eyck was born in the city of Maaseik. But the basis for this statement was only the consonance of the artist's name with the name of the place. However, there are those who consider the village of Maastricht to be the birthplace of the painter. The fact is that in these parts the surname "van Eyck" was very common.
By the way, the name of the master became famous thanks to his unique talent. Jan began his journey as an artist not alone, but accompanied by his brother, Hubert van Eyck, from whom he studied the art of drawing.
Both of them owe their skills to the altar master Melchior Bruderlam, who worked in the style of XIV century Zion painting. It was his style that Jan van Eyck adopted and developed, and subsequently created on its basis new style. His appearance foreshadowed significant changes in the altar painting of Northern Europe. The local culture was based not on the usual reproduction of antiquity, but on a radically new, religious and mystical, knowledge of the world.
These views were manifested in the miniatures made by the artist at the beginning of the 15th century. Among them are the best sheets of the Turin-Milan Book of Hours.
After the appearance of these works, especially sophisticated viewers began to note that Jan van Eyck was able to surprisingly combine different elements into a single composition.
Eternal religious images the artist wove into interesting stories and carried out painstaking work on every detail, striving for maximum realism of the image. One of early work van Eyck, dated around 1425, became the Madonna in the Church. Some viewers noted that the picture seemed to glow from the inside and justified this phenomenon by the intervention of supernatural forces. In fact, such a striking effect was achieved by layering oil paint on a white gypsum primer, which was previously sanded and varnished. A thin film of paint absorbed the light falling on the canvas, and from there an inner radiance appeared.
By the way, for a long time there were rumors that it was Jan van Eyck who was the inventor of the first oil paints. It must be admitted that these arguments turned out to be a myth. Coloring compositions based on vegetable oils were popular several centuries before the birth of the future painter. He also owns the invention and development of new areas of art.
For several years, the master turned to the image of the Mother of God and depicted her in different conditions. The first dated painting was Madonna and Child Reading, painted in 1433. The canvas depicted a Virgin sitting in a room, holding a baby on her lap with a book. Then Jan van Eyck created the "Madonna of Canon van der Pale", but one of the artist's best creations is considered to be the "Madonna of Chancellor Rolin". This canvas was admired by the Soviet journalist Lev Lyubimy, who wrote:
“Not without reason, at the Burgundian court, such paintings were kept in treasuries next to golden caskets, hour books with sparkling miniatures and precious relics ...”
By the time of his creative upsurge, the artist had become a true innovator in the field of portraiture. He was the first who initiated the method in which the creator focuses on individuality and unique personality traits. Van Eyck was a subtle psychologist and, working with nature, was able to analyze it analytically.
In addition, the painter for the first time replaced the chest type of image with a belt type. In these traditions, the first in the history of painting paired "Portrait of the Arnolfini" was painted, which became another key work of the artist.
The painting was painted in honor of the marriage of Giovanna Senami and the Italian silk merchant Giovanni Arnofilini. Both are dressed in solemn costumes and, holding hands, pronounce the oath of marital fidelity. It is noteworthy that there was a lot of controversy about the main characters of the picture. Some scholars have argued that Jan van Eyck himself is depicted in the portrait. And others noted strange little things. The absence of a priest during the celebration and even the presence of one candle in the chandelier, which burns in broad daylight, did not give art critics peace. But most of all disputes arose because of the inscription on the canvas:
“Jan van Eyck was here. 1434"
Later, the art critic Panofsky argued that the viewer sees not a marriage, but an engagement, and noted that with such an interpretation of the picture, the inscription becomes appropriate - this is how the artist emphasized his testimony at the ceremony. And the Soviet researcher Andronikova said that the face of the man in the picture is of the northern type, and the woman looks suspiciously like Margaret van Eyck. Believing in this judgment is made by the fact that the Arnofilini couple did not have children, but the lady depicted is clearly in a position.
Indeed, the wife of Jan van Eyck in June 1434 gave birth to an heir to the artist, which is documented. The question of who is actually depicted in the painting remains open to this day, but it has long been established that the canvas corresponds to the medieval tradition of endowing objects with symbolic meaning. Oranges on the table hint at heavenly bliss, and an apple symbolizes the fall. The brush is a symbol of purity, the rosary is a sign of piety, and the little dog represents fidelity.
A significant role is played by the interior, which the artist depicted with detailed accuracy. Jan van Eyck's contemporaries noted that he masterfully mastered the perspective image, knew how to play with light and created a "plastic" effect, which is still inaccessible to many artists. After himself, Jan van Eyck left a creative legacy, the influence of which has long gone beyond the boundaries of the era. And the artist immortalized the memory of himself in the epitaph:
“Here lies John, glorious with extraordinary virtues, in whom love for painting was amazing; he painted images of people breathing life, and the earth with flowering herbs, and glorified all living things with his art ... "
Jan van Eyck was a painter at the court of John of Holland (1422 - 1425) and Philip of Burgundy. While serving Duke Philip, Jan van Eyck made several clandestine diplomatic trips. In 1428, in the biography of van Eyck, a trip to Portugal took place, where he painted a portrait of Philip's bride, Isabella.
Eyck's style, based on the implicit power of realism, served as an important approach in late medieval art. Outstanding Achievement this realistic trend, for example, the frescoes of Tommaso da Modena in Treviso, the work of Robert Campin, influenced the style of Jan van Eyck. Experimenting with realism, Jan van Eyck achieved astounding precision, unusually pleasing differences between the quality of materials and natural light. This suggests that his careful delineation of the details of daily life was done with the intention of displaying the splendor of God's creations.
Some writers falsely credit Jan van Eyck with the discovery of oil painting techniques. Undoubtedly, he played a key role in perfecting this technique, achieving with its help an unprecedented richness and saturation of color. Jan van Eyck developed the technique of oil painting. He gradually achieved pedantic accuracy in depicting the natural world.
Many followers unsuccessfully copied his style. The distinguishing quality of Jan van Eyck's work was the difficult imitation of his work. His influence on the next generation of artists, in northern and southern Europe, cannot be overestimated. The whole evolution of the Flemish painters of the 15th century bore the direct imprint of his style.
Among van Eyck's works that have survived, the greatest is the "Ghent Altarpiece" - in the Cathedral of Saint-Bavon in Ghent, Belgium. This masterpiece was created by two brothers, Jan and Hubert, and completed in 1432. Exterior panels show the day of the Annunciation, when the angel Gabriel visited the Virgin Mary, as well as images of St. John the Baptist, John the Evangelist. The interior of the altar consists of the "Adoration of the Lamb", revealing a magnificent landscape, as well as paintings above showing God the Father near the Virgin, John the Baptist, angels playing music, Adam and Eve.
Throughout his life, Jan van Yayk created many magnificent portraits, which are famous for their crystal-clear objectivity and graphic accuracy. Among his paintings: a portrait of an unknown man (1432), a portrait of a man in a red turban (1436), a portrait of Jan de Lieuw (1436) in Vienna, a portrait of his wife Margaret van Eyck (1439) in Bruges. Wedding painting "Giovanni Arnolfini and his bride" (1434, National Gallery London) along with the figures shows an excellent interior.
In the biography of van Eyck, the artist's special interest has always fallen on the depiction of materials, as well as the special quality of substances. His unsurpassed technical talent was especially well manifested in two religious works - "Our Lady of Chancellor Rolin" (1436) in the Louvre, "Our Lady of Canon van der Pale" (1436) in Bruges. The National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. exhibits the painting "Proclamation", which is attributed to van Eyck's hand. Some of Jan van Eyck's unfinished paintings are believed to have been completed by Petrus Christus.
Jan van Eyck (Dutch Jan van Eyck, c. 1385 or 1390-1441) was a Dutch early Renaissance painter, portrait master, author of more than 100 compositions on religious subjects, one of the first artists who mastered the technique of painting with oil paints. The younger brother of the artist and his teacher Hubert van Eyck (1370-1426).
Portrait of the Arnolfinis, 1434, National Gallery, London
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Jan van Eyck's exact date of birth is unknown. Born in the Northern Netherlands in Maaseik. He studied with his older brother Hubert, with whom he worked until 1426. He began his career in The Hague at the court of the Dutch counts. From 1425 he was an artist and courtier of the Duke of Burgundy, Philip III the Good, who appreciated him as an artist and generously paid for his work. In 1427-1428. as part of the ducal embassy, Jan van Eyck went to Spain, then to Portugal. In 1427 he visited Tournai, where he was received with honor by the local guild of artists. Probably met with Robert Campin, or saw his work. He worked in Lille and Ghent, in 1431 he bought a house in Bruges and lived there until his death.
Van Eyck is considered the inventor of oil paints, although in fact he only improved them. But it was after him that the oil received universal recognition, oil technology has become traditional for the Netherlands; in the 15th century came to Germany and France, and from there to Italy.
Portrait of the Arnolfini couple, detail of a mirror on the wall, 1434
Van Eyck's largest and most famous work is the Ghent Altarpiece, probably begun by his brother Hubert. Jan van Eyck completed it on commission from the wealthy Ghent burgher Jodoc Veidt for his family chapel in 1422-1432. This is a grandiose multi-tiered polyptych of 24 paintings depicting 258 human figures.
Jan van Eyck's masterpieces include the Madonna of Chancellor Rolin, as well as a portrait of a merchant, a representative of the Medici banking house, Giovanni Arnolfini with his wife - the so-called "Portrait of the Arnolfinis".
He had several students, among them - Petrus Christus.
“According to universal recognition, the most daring discoveries that marked a turning point in artistic development(humanity), belong to the painter Jan van Eyck (1385/90 - 1441). His greatest creation is a multi-leaf altar (polyptych) for the cathedral in Ghent. E. Gombrich "History of Art".
Annunciation, 1420
Diptych - Crucifixion and Last Judgment, 1420-1425
Portrait of a man with a ring, circa 1430
Saint Francis of Assisi, Stigmatization, circa 1432
Lam Godsretabel, Mystic Lamb, Agneau Mystique, Der Genter Altar (Lammanbetung), Políptico de Gante (El Políptico de la Adoración del Cordero Místico). 1432
Ghent Altarpiece, God Jesus, 1432
Ghent altarpiece, God Jesus, garment detail, 1432
Ghent Altarpiece, Maria, 1432
Ghent Altarpiece, John the Baptist, detail, 1432
Ghent altarpiece (Outer panel, Archangel), 1432
Ghent Altarpiece (Outer panel, John the Evangelist, detail), 1432
Ghent altarpiece, Eve, detail, head, 1432
Ghent Altarpiece, Adam, detail, head, 1432
Ghent Altarpiece, Women Going to Worship the Lamb, 1432
Ghent Altarpiece, Jews and Gentiles, 1432
Ghent Altarpiece, Angels, 1432
Ghent Altarpiece, Angels, detail, 1432
Ghent Altarpiece, Adoration of the Lamb, detail, 1432
Portrait of a man in a turban, 1433 (possibly self-portrait)
Portrait of Giovanni Arnolfini, circa 1435
Madonna of Chancellor Rolin, 1435
Madonna of Chancellor Rolin, detail, 1435
Madonna of Canon Georg van der Pale, 1436
Madonna of Canon Georg van der Pale, detail of Saint George and the Donor, 1436
Saint Barbara, 1437
Madonna and Child in a Church, circa 1438
Portrait of Margaret van Eyck, 1439
Saint Jerome, 1442
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