Jan van Eyck: Understanding Jan van Eyck’s Life and Paintings

Jan van Eyck was a late-medieval era painter known for his portraits and altarpieces. Van Eyck is known as a pioneer of oil painting, which allowed him to capture the effect of natural light in a revolutionary and realistic manner. Van Eyck was also unusual in his habit of signing and dating his paintings, sometimes including his motto “als ich kan” (“as well as I can”).

Little is known about Jan van Eyck’s early life, including his exact birthdate, but he was likely born before 1395 in the town of Maaseik (now Belgium), near Maastricht in the Netherlands. The first records of his career as a painter appear in 1422, when he was working in the Hague for John of Bavaria, the ruler of Holland. After John’s death in 1425, Van Eyck moved to the court of Philip the Good, the Duke of Burgundy, in Bruges and Lille. Working for two different wealthy courts gave Van Eyck social standing and a cadre of workshop assistants. In addition to his role as court painter, Van Eyck also went on secret missions for Philip, possibly playing a role in the marriage contract between Philip and Isabella of Portugal. Van Eyck worked for Philip until his own death in 1441 in Bruges, Belgium.

Although his known body of work is small, Van Eyck’s signature style is easy to recognize. He’s known for his:

• Depiction of natural light: Van Eyck may not have invented oil paint, but he was one of the first artists to use it, most specifically to create shiny layers of glaze that looked like natural light reflecting off surfaces.
• Optical illusions: In paintings such as The Arnolfini Portrait and The Virgin of Canon van der Paele, Jan van Eyck used his skill with oil paints to create the illusion of a mirrored surface. His inscriptions were sometimes made to look like real, carved wood.
• Realism: In his portraits and religious paintings, Van Eyck rendered his subjects in a detailed manner in an attempt to match reality. In his religious paintings, realism is thought to honor the significance of every element of the scene, from the divine light to the details in saints’ clothing.

Van Eyck’s only surviving paintings are from 1432 onwards, so little is known of his early style. These later works are some of his most famous.

1. 1. The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb (1432): The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb is the most famous portion of the 12-panel Ghent Altarpiece. Jan collaborated on the piece with his older brother, the painter Hubert van Eyck, who is believed to have designed the panels. The lamb, representing Jesus Christ, has a human-like face that was painted over in the sixteenth century, which was only recently rediscovered during restoration.
2. 2. Arnolfini Portrait (1434): The Arnolfini Portrait depicts a wealthy Italian merchant and his wife holding hands in what is believed to be their residence in Bruges. In the background, there is a convex mirror “reflecting” the people on the other side of the painting, one of whom is assumed to be Van Eyck himself. Today, the painting hangs in London’s National Gallery of Art.
3. 3. Portrait of a Man (1433): Thought to be a self-portrait, the subject of this painting wears an elaborate, folded red turban which Van Eyck rendered in hyper-realistic detail.
4. 4. The Crucifixion/The Last Judgement (1440-1441): This diptych shows the scene of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion. With a crowd of onlookers displaying a range of emotions in the foreground and the scene of the crucifixion at the back of the scene, the painting showcases van Eyck’s attention to detail.
5. 5. The Virgin and Child with Chancellor Rolin (1430): The Virgin and Child with Chancellor Rolin was painted for Nicolas Rolin, chancellor to Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy. This chapel piece—also known as the Madonna of Chancellor Rolin—is part of a genre of painting called “holy conversation,” which puts patrons in scenes with religious figures. In the foreground, Mary sits on a throne, about to be crowned by an angel, while Rolin kneels before her. In the background, there is an imaginative landscape referencing the Old Testament while creating a sense of depth and perspective in the painting.
   

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