Famous Art 20

The Arnolfini Portrait ; 1434 ; Jan van Eyck

The Arnolfini Portrait is one of the most famous paintings in history, even though it did not become famous until at least a century after its creation. The marriage of light and shadow welcomes an atmosphere of intimacy and unity. The detail and composition within the golden chandelier and convex mirror against the back wall argue in favor of Jan van Eyck being the father of oil painting.

Even though this painting influenced generations of artists to come, the size of the painting was rare for its time, and its subjects and context have provided art scholars and historians little information about who they are and why the painting was commissioned. Some believe it depicts a loving and pious marriage ceremony based on the scene being filled with everyday objects and familial items such as the small dog, which apparently stood for fidelity, while others have similar views of a marriage scene but have added ideas of infidelity, arrogance of wealth, or a transfer of power of attorney to the male subject's wife. Some even view the scene as an in memoriam to the death of the wife, with the symbols of marriage and fertility still holding true, however, now in a darker tone.