Dr Kat and the Arnolfini Portrait

hello and welcome back to the channel if you're new here hi you're very welcome this is reading the past and I'm dr. Kat and before I jump into today's video topic I just want to say a massive thank you to Julia for your patience and support last week when I was freaking out about the audio issues that people reporting on my last video thanks to you we are now on a new microphone and I also have a new upload technique that should hopefully solve those problems if any of you did experience them I'm really grateful so thank you Julia today we are talking about a topic that has been requested in my comment section and on my social media and also over email we're talking about van Eyck's Arnolfini portrait [Music] Before we jump into looking at the portrait itself I want to give a very brief rundown of Vinayak's biography and it will be brief because we don't know very much about his early life we presume that he was born into relative wealth and privilege perhaps to a gentry family at the very end of the 14th century possibly near Maastricht in 1422 he is recorded as working for the ruler of Holland John of Bavaria in The Hague in 1425 he was based in Lille and Bruges and he came under the patronage of Philip the 3rd Duke of Burgundy who was also known as Philips a good in 1428 Duke Philip sends van Eyck to Portugal to paint his future wife this will be his third and final marriage to Isabella of Portugal evidently the Duke must have been pleased with what he saw in van Eyck's painting as the pair were married in January 1430 unfortunately van Eyck's portrait of Isabella is now lost however there is this remaining copy in addition to enjoying the patronage of Duke Philip it seems that van Eyck was also kept busy elsewhere right up until his death in 1441 he was commissioned to paint religious scenes and portraits of prominent burgundians including courtiers noblemen clerics and merchants though as I said we have lost van Eyck's portrait of Isabella of Portugal commissioned by Duke Philip a number of his paintings from this period do survive including the focus for today the Arnolfini portrait which was produced in 1434 when we look at this portrait we are presented with an example of the painting style and technique for which Van Eyck is remembered his focused representation of minut details fabrics objects and facial features his realism and his use of natural light although he did not invent oil painting he should perhaps be given the credit for refining and popularizing the process to achieve his results he would first sketch out his work or at least some elements of it onto the panel onto which he was about to paint Van Eyck worked in multiple layers of semi translucent paint this served to create depth and to assist with the sense of dimension that we can see in his work this dimension itself is made possible through the artists use of vanishing points and perspective when I look to explore the Arnolfini portrait I find that I am at least in some ways reminded of hands whole binds the ambassador's albeit a much later double portrait and I have made a video on the ambassador's which I will leave linked in a cart but here in this portrait from a century before the ambassador's the viewer is also given a rich almost textual source to read and interpret in both cases I believe the image defies one single reading at each view another item pops up captures our attention and changes the reading I want to discuss a number of these items today and I am sure that some elements and their significance will have escaped my attention so please do feel free to add to this discussion in the comment section beneath this video or you can come over to my Instagram or Twitter as always I'll be leaving links to those in the description box the first focus of confusion for the modern reader of this portrait is just who we are looking at we left out what we have here is a high-status couple there is visible wealth on display here now while not Noble by birth the Arnolfini family were certainly wealthy and prominent and this is due to their success as merchants their wealth resulted in political influence and power the objects that are being displayed through this portrait to show their wealth are tasteful we are therefore given an idea that these people had an intimate knowledge and education in what were the appropriate markers of status to be put on display I made the mistake of reading Hana Gadsby's Guardian article on her love for this painting and it's not a mistake because the articles bad the article itself is wonderful and I highly recommend it however she highlighted that the man in this portrait bears a striking resemblance to a modern figure perhaps you can already name them I'm not going to say who because if you are anything like me you won't be able to unsee it but I'll leave a link to the article in the description box if you want to give it a read in terms of the potential candidates for the figures represented in this portrait some suggestions have come forward for the most part it seems there is quite a widespread agreement that the man in the portrait is Giovanni Arnolfini some say the woman is his first wife Constanza Giovanni and Constanza had married in fourteen twenty six so quite a few years before this portrait was painted also Constanza had died by the time the portrait was made so therefore some say that actually it's a portrait of Giovanni and his second wife called confusingly Giovanna however what stands in the way of this attribution being accepted is that it seems that Giovanni and Giovanna did not marry until 1447 which is both after the painting was created and after Vanek himself had died there is another suggestion as to who might be featured in this portrait some say that it is not Giovanni at all rather it is his brother mikela Arnolfini I've been searching around trying to figure out who Micheli is to post her married and I can't with any consensus find her name only that it seems the my rook place in Bruges and that it happened at around the time that this portrait was being produced perhaps the identity of these people may become less obscure if we can figure out why this painting was made are we being shown a celebration of a wedding or a betrothal certainly the man in the portrait has raised his right hand it's as if we are seeing a vow being taken or perhaps an oath being sworn some have suggested that the fact that we are shown him taking her hand in his left hand is supposed to be read as evidence that this is not a marriage of equals perhaps what we are seeing here is a left-handed or morganatic marriage if this is what we are seeing then what this woman has entered into in this morganatic marriage prevents her or any children this marriage might produce from having any legal claim to the status or property of the man she has married the morganatic marriage was viewed as a way to protect inheritance to keep family lands and titles in one piece rather than being shared out among a number of siblings some have suggested that if we are willing to read this portrait as evidence of a morganatic marriage then it gives great weight to the person in the portrait being Michela Arnolfini and his wife they suggest that the woman he marries in Bruges was of a lower socioeconomic status than he was therefore that all he prepared to offer her was a left-handed or morganatic marriage nevertheless the reading of this as a morganatic marriage is very problematic if we do believe that the people in the portrait or Giovanni and his first wife Constanza because this was certainly a marriage of equals Constanza herself came from a very prominent and powerful family perhaps they're on the wrong track altogether and what we are seeing here is not evidence of paper travel or a wedding if this is a portrait showing Giovanni and Constanza not a morganatic marriage or a left-handed marriage but a marriage of equals where one partner has died as we know Constanza did before this portrait was produced perhaps what we are seeing here is a memorial portrait to a beloved and missed wife some scholars assert that Constanza died in childbirth certainly the couple have no recorded children whoever these individuals are and for whatever purpose they were painted the clothing they are wearing is sumptuous the man is wearing a beautiful fur-lined tab art in terms of color I think it looks like it's deep purple perhaps purple changeable red and it is made of silk or velvet beneath it he wears a black coat Adi in velvet or damask black was an incredibly hard dye to create particularly if it was going to give off the debt that we are seeing here the cuffs of this black garment are aged with silver perhaps in spun silver thread his wide brimmed hat has also been dyed black and he wears gold jewelry her clothing is equally opulent towards her feet and on her lower arms we see gorgeous flashes of blue this is the turtle that she is wearing underneath her gown the blue of this kurtal would have been created through the use of woad or indigo dyes it offers a secondary flash of color which is going to complement the gown she's wearing over it it is yet another show of wealth the green gown that sits over her kurtal is highly worked and fabulous it is fur-lined and has decorative dragging on it the fabric used is presumably a finely worked wool two stages of dying would be used to create the green of this gown this is a highly worked and therefore more expensive fabric in a more expensive color like the man she stands with her cuffs are also edged in precious metal this time in gold the lady wears an elaborately edged white veil over her dressed hair help would be required to achieve and maintain and look like this like her partner she is also decorated in gold jewellery the fabulous fashion historian amber butch art presented a series called a stitch in time one episode looked at the Arnolfini portrait and in particular the clothing worn by the lady in it you can find this documentary on YouTube and I will try and link it in the description box because it's really worth a look about how this dress may have been constructed the Speight appearances the woman in this portrait is not pregnant rather this is yet another show of wealth the sheer amount of fabric which of course makes the garment itself more expensive may also have necessitated the use of a maidservant or assistant to help her move around in it however this choice of fashion may also have been made because it does offer the appearance of pregnancy therefore it speaks to a hope or a promise for future fertility we can also learn a lot by looking at their hands both have seemingly soft on calloused palms their nails are neat clean and seemingly manicured these are not hands that are employed in any form of substantial or regular manual work this is yet more evidence of their affluence as I mentioned previously this room is filled with objects and evidence that highlights the wealth and taste of this couple we also see other clothing items in the room not being worn by the couple on the floor we see two pairs of what looked like slip-on shoes these would be known as clogs patterns or galoshes and they were protective garments designed to be worn over other shoes they were intended to be worn in the streets or perhaps even inside to protect from cold stone floors of the two pairs on display here we can see that there appears to be some filth or mud on the pair at the front of the image these over shoes protected the feet but also the fine shoes which would have had thinner more perishable leather soles and perhaps silk o leather uppers these are people that can afford to have nice things and that care about protecting them some have also suggested that their presence in this portrait is a reference to quote from the book of Exodus put off thy shoes from off thy feet for the place whereon thou stand'st is holy ground for those who read this implication or connotation may assert that what the viewer has been reminded of is the sacred nature of what is occurring in this chamber namely a vow being swore and if nothing else through the presence of the bed the viewer is reminded that this is a place of solemn sanctity it is a place where the right of marriage is confirmed and consummated an open window floods the room with natural light through it we catch a glimpse of a tree for the fruit possibly this is a cherry tree a symbol of love either way this fruit filled tree is certainly symbolic of fertility as we draw back into the room from the window we see more fruit an orange sits on the windowsill and beneath it on top of a chest or press more oranges are visible once again the fruit will no doubt be symbolic of the hope for the marriage namely that it will be a fertile one however oranges were also an expensive and luxurious commodity particularly if they were sweet run than bitter oranges so oranges that were edible straight out of the skin if you will sweet oranges were a relatively new import commodity part of the trade in luxuries from the east a chandelier hanging on the ceiling one candle is lit within it it is believed the chandelier was probably made of brass the artistic technique used to render this item is exquisite we are given such realism in the way the light from the window hits and interacts with the appropriate past the chandelier making them shine and gleam leaving the rest of the item in shadow it is a beautiful and extensively worked and crafted object is this just another reminder of the wealth of this couple and their family perhaps however perhaps this single candle may symbolize the presence of Christ acteam is a witness to this marriage if that is what's taking place here perhaps it's simply a reminder of the omniscient of God maybe the singular burning candle has a different meaning is it there in opposition to the candles that have already burnt out is this a symbol of loss perhaps this might make sense if this is indeed a portrait that memorializes are lost wife and infant alternatively perhaps we might choose to read this single burning candle as a symbol of this couple's unity but what do you think perhaps one of the strangest elements about this portrait is the artists signature placed smack dab in the middle of the back wall it is large it has a lot of prominence and it reads in Latin essentially yang Van Eyck was here 14:34 why sign the painting in this way why use this unusual phrasing why give so much prominence to his signature one suggestion is that this is in fact a portrait of a marriage or a betrothal and that yang Van Eyck is signing his portrait almost as if he were a witness to it if this is the case then perhaps we should be reading this portrait as a legal document or a contract what do you think also placed on the center of the back wall is a mirror the mirror itself is framed with ten roundels or glazed circles each of which show miniature images from The Passion of Christ is this a reassuring promise of Resurrection through him indeed the presence of the mirror itself may also be explained as being part of a wider tradition within European art reflecting and reminding the viewer of the transience of life and their own mortality there is not a flaw in this mirrors surface not a blemish not a stain in the convex mirror the viewer of the portrait is shown the backs of the couple they are also shown two people facing the couple in the doorway who might they be is it van Eyck and a painter's assistant or is it van Eyck and an unknown companion after all no easel is visible are we as the audience being imagined into the work are we being reflected back to ourselves perhaps standing beside Vinayak are these other witnesses to this potential betrothal or marriage I think it's also worth mentioning that some have suggested that this mirror as we see here is somewhat large in relation to the technical capabilities of the age did Van Eyck exaggerate its size and if so why would he have done this beside the mirror are a set of hanging beads these are rosary beads for prayer thus they are a symbol of the couple's piety on the other side of the mirror is a hanging brush a symbol of the necessary focus on the home and the work that must be done there to keep it clean the brush and beads together are a recipe for a moral Christian life focused on spiritual prayer and earthly duty nearby is a carving of sin Margaret the patron saint of among other things pregnancy and childbirth on the floor is a so-called turkey carpet this is another luxury imported item it may more commonly have been placed on a higher surface a wall a seat or a table for its own protection to put it on the floor risk that being more quickly damaged however this was incredibly fashionable to do it was also a common feature in religious art to place the Virgin Mary and the Holy Family on carpets like this in fact van Eyck himself does so in around 14 37 when he creates the Luca Madonna the sweet little dog that is placed at the feet of the couple is read by most as a reference to faithfulness in marriage however we might want to ask just why it feels like this dog is locking eyes with us as the audience and that it is doing so in a very knowing almost human way red fabric covers the seat and its cushion and it is also used to engulf the bed beside it the vibrancy of this red fabric may have been achieved through the use of expensive animal dies like Hermes or cochineal or perhaps the more common plants died matter what is this red fabric signify perhaps passion and of course the appropriate place to express this passion is the marital bed where legitimate children might be produced in the eyes of the church and society red was also however considered to be a healing and protective color which could benefit the health finally it is also I think significant that the woman has the bed behind her while the man has the window behind him his this supposed act as a reminder for them and for us that her life and role her place in the world if you will is a domestic one while his is intended to be out in the world as part of his wealthy merchant family in terms of the journey or provenance of this piece the portrait somehow ends up in the possession of the British during the polio mnek wars eventually some years after the Wars it is purchased by the National Gallery in 1842 it remains in their collection to this day and can be found when the gallery is open on display in room 63 a room for 15th century Netherlandish painting but what do you think of today's topic I'm looking forward to seeing your discussion on this matter in the comment section underneath the video or you can come and find me over on my social media as always I'll be leaving links to my Instagram and Twitter in the description box you can follow me there and we can continue this conversation I do hope you enjoyed this video and found it useful if you did then please let me know by hitting the thumbs up please also subscribe to the channel and while you're there why not hit the notification bell that sits next subscribe button so that YouTube will tell you and I've next uploaded I hope you're gonna have a great day whatever you're doing and I look forward to speaking to you all in my next video take care of yourselves bye bye for now [Music]

Channel: Reading the Past

Views: 41,623

Rating: 4.9705787 out of 5

Keywords: Jan van Eyck, Arnolfini Portrait, Art History, Decoding Art, Education, Literature, Culture, History, Early Modern, Renaissance, Medieval

Id: DVIc70gypAk

Length: 22min 46sec (1366 seconds)

Published: Fri Jun 12 2020