In addition to this portrait, not the most famous works artist.
It's time to hit our Jan van Eyck.
These are such unattainable heights of talent and innovation, such a rock that you don’t even know which side to grab onto.
Let's start with the biography.
The beginning of life - everything is as usual: we do not know either the place or the exact date of birth. It is assumed that he was born in the period from 1385 to 1400, possibly in the city of Maaseik or Limburg in what is now Belgium. Rather, of course, in Maaseik. It is believed that the surname "Eik" echoes "Masseik", it is also known that his daughter Levine was in a monastery in Maaseik shortly after her father's death - apparently, relatives remained in the city, and the girl was sent to be raised in a monastery in hometown father. In addition to the legendary brother Hubert, Jan had at least one more - Lambert, as well as a sister, Marguerite. The artist of a slightly later period, Bartholomew d "Eyck, most likely has nothing to do with the Aykov family, or is a very distant relative.
The wedding of Philip the Good and Isabella of Portugal. 1430
Only now, which of them is the bride and groom, I can’t imagine!
161 X 117 cm, Versailles, France
The history of Brother Hubert is dark and confusing. His name is literally mentioned a couple of times next to the name of Jan, accurate information very little, but it is believed that Hubert was much older and taught Jan the skill of the painter. It is also assumed that both brothers worked on the Ghent altar - Hubert began work, but died in 1426, and Jan was already finishing his work. True, this is known from the inscription on the wings of the altar, and there is a suspicion that it was made much later than the period when the altar itself was created. Very different information different books and other sources: some argue that in some works attributed to Jan van Eyck, in places the hand of another artist is clearly defined, in others, on the contrary, that supposedly detailed research recent years have proven otherwise.
Three Marys at the Holy Sepulcher
It is believed that Hubert van Eyck started this work between 1410 and 1420, but did not finish it. It was completed in the 1440s by someone from the van Eyck workshop.
There is a version that Hubert was not so much an artist as a decorator, and with his brother they worked as a "family contract". Other researchers believe that Hubert is just a namesake and a very mediocre artist in fact. And some generally believe that no Hubert existed at all, and all this is a hoax. I don't know which version is true, so let's leave alone the idea of participating in Hubert's collaborations for now, and we'll only talk about Jan. I must say that the Belgians did not particularly understand the breadth of their spirituality, and erected a monument to both brothers in Ghent. In gratitude for the famous altar.
Stigmatization of Saint Francis
29.5 X 33.7 cm
Sabauda Gallery, Turin
There is no exact evidence that this is the work of van Eyck - the style, it seems, is his, but the emotionality of the characters is not characteristic of him. Researchers are embarrassed by Francis's companion, Luke - supposedly he is too affected, which van Eyck never had. However, it seems to me that the monk is just sleeping - according to legend, during a walk in the mountains, Luke dozed off, and at that time Francis was "attacked" by stigmata.
Jaa's early work has not survived. Do not believe "Wikipedia" - he most likely did not participate in the creation of illustrations for the "Turino-Milan Book of Hours", in smart books they write that now most scientists have rejected this hypothesis.
He began his career in 1422, becoming the court painter of the count of Holland, Zeeland and the Gennehaut, Johann III of Bavaria. He lived at the same time in The Hague. He was relatively young at that time, but, apparently, he was already known as a skilled painter, because they would not have taken anyone to the court. By that time, Jan already had his own workshop and students - it seems to me that in the light of this, his years of birth are still closer to 1385-90, it was hardly 1400; after all, in this case, at the age of 22 he should be a master with students, and this is hardly possible - Rogier van der Weyden, for example, only at the age of 26 entered Kampen's apprenticeship.
Portrait of a man in a blue headdress ("Portrait of a Jeweler")
1430-33
National Museum Brukental, Romania
It is known that Jan van Eyck took part in the decoration of the Bienenhoff Palace, which belonged to the Count of Holland. It was during that period that his name was first mentioned in documents - "Master Yang, the artist." His patron was a restless man, he constantly got into some kind of armed conflicts with his neighbors, it was not for nothing that he was called Johann the Merciless. He died early (possibly poisoned), at the age of 23 (1425), and van Eyck had to look for a new job.
She was found almost immediately, since the talent of the artist had long been noticed and appreciated by the Duke of Burgundy Philip the Good himself (he was an ally of the Count of Holland in some armed conflicts and probably knew about his gifted court painter). He invited Jan van Eyck to court, the artist moved to Lille. It is safe to say that the relationship between the feudal lord and his court painter was not the usual relationship of a servant and master, it was a real strong friendship, which lasted the whole life of van Eyck.
Timothy
1432, 33.5 X 19
National Gallery, London
It is believed that this is a posthumous portrait of the composer Gilles Binchois, who also served at the duke's court. Most likely, he is completely bald - no hair, no eyebrows. Even the eyelashes are supposed to have been completed during a late restoration.
The duke not only entrusted Yang with very delicate diplomatic missions, such as mediation in marriage, for example, he was godfather his son. Often Jan accompanied his patron on pilgrimage journeys. A few years after Eyck's death, when his daughter had to be placed in a monastery (for training, apparently), the duke actively worked for her and allocated the necessary funds for this.
Portrait of a man with a carnation
1435
40 X 31 cm
National Museum, Berlin
A document has been preserved confirming the very high loyalty of Philip to the artist, this is his angry letter of 1435 to the city treasurer of Lille, who tried to “knock off” the amount that he had to pay van Eyck: “This upsets Us very much, since We cannot name any one other artist, equal to Us in tastes, and so experienced in matters of painting and science! It should be added that in the service of the Duke, Jan van Eyck was not paid on a piece-rate basis, for the work performed, but was "at a fixed rate", and quite high. This gave him complete creative freedom, so he fulfilled the orders of other people, and not only fulfilled the “picturesque whims” of his patron.
Portrait of Baudouin (or hangover?)) de Lannoy
1435
26 X 20 National Museum, Berlin
The governor of Lille and the Knight of the Golden Fleece are depicted, so do not look that the mug is so brutal
I must say that the nickname "Good" did not at all mean the softness of the character of the duke, in English his nickname sounds "Good" - "good", he was a good warrior and a good sovereign, but his temper was explosive and hot. And while van Eyck lasted at his court, being in favor, 16 years, until his death. By the way, the duke appointed his widow Margaret a large life allowance. Another one interesting story about the duke - his father, John the Fearless, was killed in 1419, Philip was 23 years old at that time, this event struck to the core. He mourned for a long time and sincerely, then he remembered his father all his life and therefore, in all the portraits, he allegedly asked to depict himself in black. I don’t know how true this is - in almost all portraits of dukes and kings of that time they are dressed in black.
Philip III the Good
Copy of the portrait of Rogier van der Weyden
Eyck's interests were not limited solely to painting, it seems that he was a real "Renaissance man": he knew geometry well, had some knowledge of chemistry, was interested in botany, and also very successfully carried out the diplomatic missions of his patron. Van Eyck is known to have modeled clothing and jewelry, and did what is now called "interior design". He also knew languages - this is indirectly evidenced by the fact that in the inscriptions in his paintings he uses Latin, as well as the Greek and Jewish alphabets. His tombstone depicts the family coat of arms - apparently, he came from a petty nobility, which allowed him to receive classical education which other artists of the time could not afford. This, apparently, served to ensure that Yang took a special position at the court of the duke, one might say, made a career that an ordinary artisan could never achieve.
Interesting that Eik wasn't the first Dutch artist who served at the Burgundian court. A few years before him, at the court of the father of Philip the Third the Good, Philip the Second the Bold, another famous artist from the Netherlands - Melchior Bruderlam (1328-1409). So the high skill of the Dutch was known and highly valued for a long time.
Supposed portrait of Jan van Eyck
This engraving was created in 1572, 130 years after the death of the master.
A little about the diplomatic service of Jan. He played the role of matchmaker twice - once he had to visit Tournai (where he met with local artists, including with Campin) in 1427, the ambassadors of Isabella of Spain, Infanta, came here to negotiate her possible marriage with the Dowager Duke Philip. This time something went wrong, the wedding did not take place. This did not affect the attitude of the duke towards Jan van Eyck - apparently, in this situation, the circumstances did not depend on the ambassador, and a couple of years later (1427-1428), Jan went in search of a bride for the duke again - this time to Portugal. Here he stayed for nine months. It was a very useful experience - Jan got the opportunity to admire the lush southern flora, which was reflected in the future and in his work: in some of his works (the Ghent Altarpiece, for example), in the background we see not a dull Dutch landscape, like most of his colleagues -compatriots, but lush exotic vegetation, which is much more suitable for imitation of paradise.
The Portuguese voyage turned out to be more successful, consent to marriage with the 33-year-old Isabella of Portugal was received, Jan painted her portrait and brought it to the Duke; the wedding took place soon. The wedding was celebrated on February 10, 1430 in Bruges, van Eyck was the main organizer and decorator of the mass celebration.
Isabella of Portugal.
Van Eyck's workshop, circa 1435
I did not find a portrait of Isabella in available sources, later I learned that it had not been preserved. I hope that in her younger years Isabella looked better than on famous portrait Rogier van der Weyden (she is 47-50 years old on him), otherwise you will not envy the duke - Rogier portrayed her far from being a beauty. Although, maybe she was a good person. On the other hand, the duke did not particularly worry - he had at least 17 illegitimate children; he didn't seem to miss a single skirt!
Isabella of Portugal
Rogier van der Weyden, approx. 1445
From 1430 van Eyck lived permanently with his family in Bruges. In general, his life geography is quite extensive; said to Prague and London.
He married rather late - after forty years, in 1432. He chose the girl Margaret as his wife, judging by the portrait - not an ounce of beauty, but much younger than Jan. She bore him a son and a daughter, and indeed, unlike Kampen, Jan van Eyck "was not seen in discrediting relationships." Jan had to be torn between his trade and diplomatic activity in the service of the duke, so he was not in the mood for stupid things. His professional productivity was colossal for such a painstaking filigree technique - many of his works have survived to this day, and how many more could have died during the period of iconoclasm, one can only guess. But he lived relatively little - about 55 years. It seems that he died suddenly, from a transient illness - there are many sketches and unfinished works left. The workshop was headed by brother Lambert after his death.
Margaret van Eyck
1439
32.6 X 25.8 cm
Grunninge Museum, Bruges
Well ... so ... The maestro was not picky
It is necessary to say a few words about his technique.
It seems that now even a very superficially educated and not experienced in art history person already knows that it was not van Eyck who invented oil paint, although long time the authorship of this invention was attributed to him.
Such information has spread and been exaggerated up to our time, thanks to the biography of the artist, written in the 16th century by the Dutch author Karel van Mander; we are talking about his work "The Book of Artists" (it is not only about van Eyck, it is something like Vasari's book, only "in the Northern manner"). The author did not skimp on flowery expressions: “What neither the Greeks, nor the Romans, nor other peoples were able to accomplish, despite all their efforts, was succeeded by the famous Jan van Eyck, who was born on the banks of the lovely Meuse River, which can now challenge the palm at the Arno, the Po, and the proud Tiber, because such a luminary rose on its banks that even Italy, the country of arts, was struck by its brilliance.
Christ
1439
Mander did not delve too deeply into the facts, but simply handed the laurels of the pioneer to his brilliant compatriot, although most of the Netherlands, including the Kampen school, also actively used this technique. In Italy, it was also known, although less common, it was not the altar that flourished there, but still fresco painting where egg tempera was more suitable.
Madonna at the Fountain ("Mary at the Fountain of Life")
19 X 12.2 - tiny at all!
Royal Museum of Fine Arts, Antwerp
The virtues of oil were important to van Eyck's work - he worked with numerous translucent layers, which helped to achieve the necessary depth and expressiveness of the image. Tempera pigments mixed with water and egg yolks were not transparent, the borders between color spots turned out to be sharp and dry, it was more difficult to model chiaroscuro. Using oil, van Eyck achieved amazing results. visual effects who were not subject to anyone before him; this was his innovation. The oil had one drawback - it dried for a rather long time, work in a multi-layer technique could drag on for years. Yang experimented by mixing different types oils and desiccants, and achieved fairly quick drying using a mixture of linseed and walnut oils in a certain proportion.
Mimicry somehow worked out once in a while ...
(fragment of the Ghent altarpiece)
He never followed strictly the laws linear perspective and did not try to achieve a geometrically verified effect, as Italian masters(in the sketches of their paintings, modern researchers often find in infrared rays intended perspective grid) - he simply depicted what he saw. And it turned out well.
The only thing that, in my opinion, van Eyck was not very good at was the depiction of facial expressions and emotions of his models.
But he is an unsurpassed master of light and a "singer of detail." Jewelry, folds of clothes, hairs in the hair, the texture of fabrics are depicted with diabolical accuracy.
Fragments of paintings showing the masterful transfer of the texture of expensive fabrics
He worked on oak boards (most often - Baltic oak, from the territory of present-day Poland), covered it with a very dense layer of white soil, resulting in a smooth, shiny surface. Then he applied the drawing, sometimes very detailed, then he made a translucent underpainting and began to apply one after another translucent layers of oil. The colors in his paintings almost fluoresced, the light came as if from the depths of his work. The amazing play of chiaroscuro very accurately conveyed the textures of rich fabrics, for example. At the same time, Eyck learned to convey space in a peculiar way, emphasizing its depth with the help of various tricks. Erwin Panowski put it very accurately: van Eyck seemed to be looking through a microscope and a telescope at the same time.
Madonna of Lucca (so called because for a long time it was in the collection of Carlo Luigi, Duke of Lucca)
1436
65.5 X 49.5 cm
State art institute, Frankfurt
We saw similar symbolism in Kampen - lions on the throne of Solomon (the throne of Wisdom), a bottle of water and a basin for washing, as a symbol of purity, fruits on the windowsill - a symbol of the forbidden fruit
The abstractness of the image is striking mythological characters in comparison with the realism of portraits of living people painted from nature; however, like most of his fellow artists. This is especially true when considering religious paintings where donors are present. Van Eyck writes their faces with merciless realism, while the biblical heroes look idealized. Emotionality and affectation are alien to the heroes of his portraits, but we see in them a deep inner concentration. The researchers very figuratively say that Eyck was the first to try to open the window during inner world their heroes.
Saint Jerome at work
1441
20 X 12.5 cm
Art Institute, Detroit
This is one of recent works Eika, and that is not finished. On it you can see the numbers 1442, and Jan van Eyck died in 1441. The upper part of the picture was made masterfully, probably begun by van Eyck, the rest was completed by his student after the death of the master.
Please note that all of his characters, who traditionally had to demonstrate asceticism and humility - the Virgin Mary, saints - to van Eyck are dressed in luxurious clothes and studded with precious stones. This once again reminds that Jan van Eyck was a court painter, daily surrounded by luxury. So he portrayed her so skillfully.
There is a version that some “Flemish primitives” used optics to write portraits and simply copied the projection of the image obtained using lenses and mirrors, which is why they turned out to be so frighteningly accurate, while others, painted without tricks, were rustic and even primitive.
Portrait of Cardinal Niccolò Albergatti. 1431
Jan van Eyck was the first to "fall under suspicion" because on one of his works we even see such a mirror - convex ("Portrait of the Arnolfini couple"). To be honest, I do not trust theories that are not supported by reliable facts, especially when you really want to believe in true art and craftsmanship. I was also embarrassed that if this were true, the posing nobleman would have to sit still for long days and hours while the artist painstakingly redraws the projection of his face. However, my confidence has somewhat wavered over time. Very detailed sketches of the portrait of Cardinal Niccolò Albergatti were discovered, which led the researchers to the idea that the model posed only for these sketches, van Eyck painted the oil portrait from memory! Perhaps the inventors of crazy theories are right? Maybe van Eyck cheated a little?
Well, and the famous works ("The Arnolfini Family", "Ghent Altarpiece", "Madonna of Chancellor Rolin", "Madonna of Canon van der Pale", etc.) will be sorted out later.
Good evening and good night!
Jan van Eyck(Jan van Eyck, c. 1385 or 1390, Maaseik - 1441, Bruges) - famous Flemish painter the era of the early Renaissance, one of its first representatives in the Netherlands; unsurpassed author of portraits, who created more than 100 compositions with religious subjects. The specific date of the birth of a brilliant painter is unknown.
Features of van Eyck's work: the formation of the fundamental principles of the Renaissance in the North of Europe. Struggling with the traditions of medieval art, the master chooses direct observation of reality, wants to objectively recreate the world. The artist is far from scientific research perspectives, the structure of the human body, he did not know the heritage of antiquity: unlike the artists of Italy, he was more guided by his experience. Van Eyck carefully studied the structure of the surrounding world, saw the subtleties of any of the objects, was able to convey landscapes and interiors colorfully and in detail. Of particular importance to him was the image of a man, he wanted to accurately reflect the appearance of the characters in his canvases.
In the portraits painted by the artist Jan van Eyck, the true and accurate transmission of the hero's traits obeys the insightful disclosure of the main features of the character's disposition. The painter creates the first paired portrait in the history of European art - the image of the merchant Giovanni Arnolfini and his wife, imbued with intricate symbolism, but at the same time - intimate and lyrical experiences.
Famous paintings by Jan van Eyck: "Portrait of the Arnolfini couple", "Timothy", "Madonna in the Church", diptych "Crucifixion and Last Judgment”, “Madonna of Chancellor Rolin”.
Jan van Eyck was 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 Philip III the Good, Duke of Burgundy. In 1427-1428. as part of the ducal embassy, Jan van Eyck went to Spain, then to Portugal. In 1427 he visited Tournai. He worked in Lille and Ghent, in 1431 he bought a house in Bruges and lived there until his death. Jan van Eyck died in Bruges in July 1441 (date of burial - July 9, 1441).
Jan van Eyck is an outstanding Dutch painter, one of the founders of the art of the Early Northern Renaissance.
The term "art nova" - a new art borrowed from the history of music - very accurately defines the art of the Netherlands in the first half of the 15th century. Not the revival of antiquity, as in Italy, but independent, intuitive and religious-mystical knowledge of the world formed the basis of a new northern European culture.
Man is not the pinnacle of creation, but only one of the evidences of the power of the Creator. Heaven and earth, plants and animals, man himself and what he created with his hands - everything deserves reverent attention. And this feeling of the divine preciousness of everyday life, living in the work of Jan van Eyck, served in many ways as the starting point for the development of realism in history. European painting.
The date of birth of the artist should, in all likelihood, be attributed to the first half of the 1390s; its homeland is traditionally considered the city of Maaseik in the Dutch province of Limburg. The first lessons of skill, again presumably, Jan was obliged to his older brother Hubert.
By 1422, when van Eyck's name was first mentioned in documents, he was already a well-known painter in the service of John of Bavaria, Count of Holland, Zealand and Gennegau, whose court was located in The Hague.
After the death of John of Bavaria, the famous master left Holland and settled in Flanders. In the spring of 1425, in Bruges, he was accepted into the service of Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, "with all honors, privileges, freedoms, rights and benefits." In the same year the artist moved to Lille.
By the nature of his service, or perhaps because of special trust, Van Eyck was twice sent by a powerful ruler on "a kind of secret journey." In 1427 he left for Spain and then for Portugal, along with Philip's ambassadors, whose task it was to arrange a marriage between the widower-duke and the Portuguese princess Isabella.
Fulfilling the mission entrusted to him, the artist painted two portraits of the bride and sent them to his master along with a draft marriage contract. At the beginning of 1430, Van Eyck returned safely to Flanders with a wedding cortege.
Not later than 1426, Madonna in the Church was written - one of early works Van Eyck. Like most of his works, the picture seems to glow from within, giving rise to a feeling of sublime joy.
Such a striking effect of internal glow was achieved by layering oil paint on a white gypsum primer, carefully sanded and varnished.
Here we need to dwell a little on the discovery of the artist, which gave impetus to the rapid spread of technology oil painting in Europe. The fact is that Jan van Eyck has long been considered the inventor of oil. colors. This is not entirely true.
Coloring compositions based on vegetable oils were known as early as the 12th century, but were not popular: they dried for a long time, often faded and cracked. Many artists sought to improve the old recipes. Only Van Eyck, somewhere around 1410, found that magical formula that made paints dry quickly, allowing the painter to apply them in dense or transparent layers without fear of mixing. Now they could be endlessly varied in color, achieving previously unseen shades. And most importantly, a thin oil film like a lens simultaneously reflected the incident light and absorbed it, creating the same effect of the inner radiance of the picture.
The new possibilities of oil painting helped the Van Eyck brothers to create the Ghent Altarpiece, one of the greatest pictorial monuments of Europe in the 15th century. Work on it was apparently started around 1422 by Hubert, and after his death in 1426 continued by his younger brother.
The history of writing and the fate of the Ghent Altarpiece, like any masterpiece, is full of mysteries and dramatic events. First of all, researchers are haunted by the question of the authors of the work. The inscription on its frame stating that the work “was started by the artist Hubert van Eyck, who is not superior”, and finished by his brother Jan, “second in art”, was made only in the 16th century. and does not inspire much confidence.
There is an assumption that the word “artist” should be read as “sculptor” and it refers to the carver who completed the framing, in connection with which the bold hypothesis of K. Woll and E. Renders was born: was there Hubert? Or is it just a legend made up to give away leading role in creating an altar to a citizen of Ghent? However, what then to do with archival evidence of the life and death of Hubert van Eyck?
With all the variety of points of view on the role of each of the brothers in the creation of the Ghent Altar, none of them seems convincing enough. In any case, most of the work was completed many years after the death of the elder brother.
The Ghent altarpiece is unique. It is a grandiose multi-tiered polyptych, reaching in the central part three and a half meters in height and five meters wide when opened. Even if Jan van Eyck had not created anything else in his life, he would still go down in history as the author of the Ghent Altarpiece. In 1432, the work was completed, and the warehouse took its place in the church of St. John the Baptist (now the Cathedral of St. Bavo).
The period of the highest creative maturity Jan van Eyck fell on the 1430s. By this time, the artist moved from Lille to Bruges, bought a house "with a stone facade", and soon got married. In 1434, Duke Philip III became the godfather of the first of Jan's ten children and, in connection with the birth of his son, presented him with six silver bowls as a gift.
Take a look at van Eyck's work filled with life and light. It seems that gems and precious metals in his paintings - real and blazing inner light. His paints are so transparent that the works have a unique, almost luminous sheen.
Since 1432, the master's works follow one after another: the so-called "Timothy" (1432), "Man in a Turban" (1433), a small panel "Madonna and Child" (1433), etc.
Jan van Eyck was the first who began to create portraits, pursuing the goal of the most accurate reproduction of the individual appearance of the model and the analytical study of human nature with its various signs and properties. The surviving portraits testify to his insight and high respect for human individuality.
The portrait of the Arnolfini couple (1434), considered the first paired portrait in the history of European painting, is another undeniable masterpiece of Van Eyck.
In the altarpiece "Madonna of Chancellor Rolin" (c. 1436) - the adviser to Philip the Good, Nicholas Rolin, a rich and powerful man who achieved a high position thanks to his merits (a rare case in the feudal world).
Nicholas Rolin knelt before the Queen of Heaven and accepts the blessing of the infant Christ. A most beautiful landscape opens up through the loggia, the first panoramic landscape in European art, giving a broad picture of the life of the earth and mankind.
The earthly and divine worlds come face to face in this work of the master, full of deep symbolism.
Jan van Eyck addressed the theme of Our Lady many times.
All van Eyck's images are based on a drawing, often drawn from life. A prime example The graphic skill of the artist is "St. Barbara" - the subject of long disputes between scientists who have not come to a consensus whether this work is a finished drawing or an unwritten picture. Silver drawing done finest brush on a primed board inserted into the author's frame with the inscription: "John van Eyck made me in 1437."
The artist died on July 9, 1441 in Bruges, the city that became his native, and was buried "in the fence" of the church of St. Donatian. Only a year later, his relatives managed to rebury his body, already inside the church, near the font.
Jan van Eyck was one of the greatest geniuses, whose work, full of great spiritual power and depth of ideas, became a source for the development of the art of the Netherlands and other European countries. Van Eyck's original motto "As I can" merged the humility and dignity inherent both in the artist himself and in all his work.
The Italian humanist Bartolomeo Fazio called this man the 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 a new style. His appearance foreshadowed significant changes in altar painting. Northern Europe. The basis local culture not the usual reproduction of antiquity, but a radically new, religious-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 best sheets Turin-Milan Book of Hours.
After the appearance of these works, especially sophisticated viewers began to note that Jan van Eyck was able to miraculously 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 van Eyck's early works, dated around 1425, was Madonna in a Church. Some viewers noted that the picture seemed to glow from the inside and justified this phenomenon by interference 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:
"No wonder at Burgundian court such paintings were kept in treasure chests 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 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. Jan van Eyck left behind creative heritage, whose influence 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 (Dutch. Jan van Eyck, c. 1385 or 1390, Maaseik-1441 Bruges) - Flemish painter early renaissance, master of portraiture, author of more than a hundred compositions on religious subjects. Younger brother artist and his teacher Hubert van Eyck (1370-1426).
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 activity in The Hague at the court of the Dutch counts, was first mentioned between 1422 and 1426 as "Master Jan" in the rank of chamber junker with Count Johann III. It is also known that he had only 2 brothers: the elder Hubert, and the younger Lambert and sister Margaret. From 1425 he was an artist and courtier of the Duke of Burgundy, Philip III the Good, who highly valued 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 oil gained general recognition, oil technology became traditional for the Netherlands; in the 15th century came to Germany and France, from there - to Italy
The largest and famous work van Eyck - The Ghent altarpiece, probably started by his brother Hubert. Jan van Eyck commissioned the wealthy Ghent burgher Jodoc Veidt for his family chapel in 1422-1432. This grandiose multi-tiered polyptych of 24 paintings depicting 258 human figures is located in the Cathedral of St. Bavo in Ghent.
Among the masterpieces of Jan van Eyck are 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 Arnolfini couple.
Jan van Eyck died in Bruges in July 1441 (date of burial - July 9, 1441). In the epitaph of van Eyck it is written: “Here lies John, glorious with extraordinary virtues, in whom love for painting was amazing; he painted life-breathing images of people, and the earth with flowering herbs, and glorified all living things with his art ... "
He had several students, including the subsequently famous painter Petrus Christus.
"By 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".
Since up to the 15th century it was not customary to sign your paintings.
In honor of Van Eyck, a crater on Mercury and an asteroid (9561) van Eyck, which was discovered on August 19, 1987, are named.
Depicted in Belgian postage stamp 1944.
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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
Clickable - 3 087px × 4 226px
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, which marked a turning point in the artistic development (of 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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