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Whose Painting Is the Arnolfini Portrait?

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Quick Answer

The Arnolfini Portrait was painted by the Flemish master Jan van Eyck in 1434.

The Full Story

Jan van Eyck painted the Arnolfini Portrait in Bruges in 1434, using oil paint on an oak panel about 82 by 60 centimetres. It shows a wealthy couple, usually identified as the Italian merchant Giovanni di Nicolao Arnolfini and his wife, in a richly furnished room. A convex mirror on the back wall reflects two more figures standing in the doorway, one of whom may be the artist himself. Above the mirror, van Eyck signed the wall in Latin: 'Johannes de eyck fuit hic 1434', meaning 'Jan van Eyck was here'. The National Gallery in London acquired the painting in 1842.

Key Facts

1.The tiny mirror frame contains ten miniature scenes from the Passion of Christ.
2.Van Eyck's detailed oil technique made him one of the most influential painters of the Northern Renaissance.
3.The small dog in the foreground is often interpreted as a symbol of loyalty.

YouTube Angle

Suggested video title for this topic:

"The hidden reflection in the Arnolfini Portrait that art historians still debate."