Famous Paintings: The Arnolfini Portrait
Posted by Susan Benford
Among the most famous paintings of the Renaissance, The Arnolfini Portrait has been enigmatic since Jan van Eyck (ca. 1370/90 - 1441) painted it over 450 years ago. He left no documents to clarify its meaning, and little is known of his early life or training. From court and legal documents, scholars have determined that van Eyck was retained in 1425 by Philip the Good, the duke of Burgundy (best known for having captured Joan of Arc). Art historians generally attribute 25 artworks to van Eyck, while noting that signatures are rare on 15th century paintings. Instead, painters signed the frames which often became lost or
Right: Margaret, The Artist's Wife, 1439. Oil on oak, 1439. Approx. 13" x 10". On loan at National Gallery, London, from City Museums (Bruges)
replaced. In the case of van Eyck's Renaissance paintings, at least two carry his signature: Man in a Red Turban, believed to be a self-portrait, (below) and Margaret, The Artist's Wife (right).
Jan van Eyck. Man in a Red Turban (Self Portrait?), 1433. Tempera and oil on wood. 13 1/8" x 10 1/8". National Gallery, London. In both cases, the original frame bears van Eyck's motto, "Als ik kan", or the pun, "As I or Eyck can". While The Arnolfini Portrait lacks its original frame, art historians agree that it's a van Eyck painting - but disagree about its intrepretation.
Above the concave mirror on the back wall, van Eyck has inscribed, "Johannes de eyck fuit hic 1934", which translates as "Jan van Eyck was here, 1434". Typically, though, a painting in 15th century Flanders would have been signed, "Jan van Eyck made this".
Jan van Eyck. The Arnolfini Portrait, 1434. Oil on wood. 32 1/4" x 23 1/2". National Gallery, London.
The verbiage van Eyck used is what an eyewitness to a legal document would've used, fueling controversy about whether this is a wedding portrait of Giovanni Arnolfini and his wife, Giovanna Cenami, or a "power of attorney" painting in which the husband grants legal permission for his wife to act on his behalf during an absence. If this is a wedding portrait, we can safely surmise that Giovanni is 30 years old or younger: in 15th century Flanders, a marriage ultimatum was given to unmarried men who were thirty, with names of those who failed to marry recorded in the dreaded "Book of Disgrace".
The German scholar Erwin Panofsy claimed in 1934 that this Renaissance painting was indeed a wedding portrait, with van Eyck seen in the mirror's reflection (below) and his signature verifying his presence. Various features of The Arnolfini Portrait are associated with matrimony: the couple has removed their shoes in recognition of its sanctity, transforming the
Detail. The Arnolfini Portrait.
bedchamber into a holy place. There are various references to the fertility sought in marriage: the bedpost finial is a wooden statue of Saint Margaret, the patron saint of childbirth, while the fruit on the windowsill and chest alludes to abundance. In keeping with the customs of the time, the woman's robe is cinched above her stomach, giving the appearance of pregnancy but intended to emphasize fertility. While the dog is a rare breed (affenpinscher) indicating the couple's prosperity, it is a traditional symbol of fidelity (thanks to Gardner's Fred Kleiner for noting that the common dog name "Fido" comes from the Latin fido, to trust, the root of ‘fidelity). The ten roundels surrounding the mirror show the Passion of Christ, suggesting the Christian idea that the "eye of God" will watch the newlywed couple.
Research by Lorne Campbell in 1998, however, contends that The Arnolfini Portrait is a double portrait and not a wedding picture. Campbell states that the wedding ceremony Panofsky cited in his argument occurred in 1447 -- four years after the painting was signed, and also six years after van Eyck's death. Barring newly discovered historical documents, The Arnolfini Portrait will remain enigmatic, with the intentions of the artist and patron unclear.
Note: I was amused and amazed to learn that Margaret, The Artist's Wife, was considered a 33 year old beauty dressed in finery of the day -- her crimson gown lined with fur, and her fluted veil were signs of her prosperity.
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