Van Eyck's Arnolfini Portrait | National Gallery

i love deez nuts and Joel ABI

i still dont know anything about the painting. except she isn’t pregnant

Beautiful and informative, thanks!!

My favorite painting but, if these guys were so wealthy why do they look like they both have avian bone syndrome? They are skinny! It doesn't seem like a painter's stylistic device, it would seem to reflect reality?

I love the little dog! Is Mr. Arnolfini's hand raised in blessing?

I have a completely different opinion, not held by our western society. The man symbolizes death. Death is according to Indian Spirituality a being, one of the first four beings created by our Mahashakti or Mother of God. It’s a being which will on the picture lead the woman to her determined destination. She will only loose her body where as her eternal soul will enjoy heavenly peace until the time comes to be reborn again. Death is a being, once created and performing his work so long until the time comes when we all transform to an eternal physical body. Study the works Sri Aurobindo and the Mother and you will agree.
In this picture the man keeps in his face a hidden purpose which he does not reveal, the purpose to lead the woman to her final moment on earth.

I love the quintessential early mid 15th c. French style Chandelier. It would have been seen as very contemporary. You can almost always date the things by the sharp holly leaf pattern. I wish I could get one. as for mr. Arnolfini, I always wondered why he had no muscle tone.

Mr Putin looks weird in this picture

I'm always intrigued how painters from this period were geniuses in depicting details and textures yet the humans in those paintings always look wonky. How does this happen?

Absolutely brilliant

Nice to see the painting in real life a few years ago. I come from the birth place of Van Eyck: Maaseik (Belgium)

Is it just me, or does anyone else think the couple are not holding hands in the mirror reflection? The mirror portion is small and a little bit blurred on the computer screen, so I am not sure if I'm seeing it correctly. However if they are not holding hands in the reflection, that would be significant because in a painting this detailed and full of symbolism, it is unlikely that the painter would have "forgotten" this small detail.

This is my FAVORITE painting

It's a very nice painting, indeed. I think it would fit nicely in my living room. I wonder, National Gallery, what is your asking price? I would be very much interested in buying it.

Hear me out:

This painting is about a meeting with the devil.
Jan has been to the place where the merchant has been because he has been at that meeting place where the refusal of what is earthly and domestic brings the kind of cultivation of skill and ability that brings power, wealth, or ability. There is an inherent regret involved with this trade, but on the other side of the trade the soul necessary to mourn the loss properly has been twisted. What would be expressed through words or deeds is instead expressed through purchases.

And yes, there are two people in the mirror. When the devil comes to you, he comes in disguise. It’s only through this eye of God (effectively hindsight) that the careful viewer gains access.

The open window should be reflected on the opposite side of the mirror.
Not the same side. Other than this little trivial minutia, the painting still
is very beautifully and technically crafted. A balancing act of people &
objects flanking the mirror which like an cculus ⚪ reflects not only the
figures but also the natural light coming through that window. Mesmeric.

what are the dimensions of the original painting?

Please take away this absolutely unnecessary music. It obscures the explanation and does not add anything. It would be also logical to show the painting in its entity BEFORE or at the very FIRST minutes of the talk and not briefly at the LAST seconds of it. It feels very strange when the painting is presented in fragments while the whole painting is shown only at the end of the video.

The Dog is NOT refleted in the mirror,

I still think she looks pregnant...that is a lot of cloth she’s holding...but it still bulges out too much. Perhaps she died in child birth?

... wonderful journey of colour, light, and texture from a canvas. Thank you!

this is one of the paintings hanging on the walls in Resident Evil remastered

Why does everyone this guy paint look like Putin?

Records show that Mrs. Arnolfini died the year BEFORE van Eyck created this painting. It's a MEMORIAL commissioned by Mr. Arnolfini to the memory of his deceased wife. These kinds of pantings were common. A 16th century portrait of the family of Sir Thomas More, for example, depicts his then wife, Alice, and his deceased, former wife too. In the above painting, Mr. Arnolfini stands by an open window looking out onto the world of the living. She stands before a bed, a symbol of sleep and repose. He almost stands underneath a lit candle, a symbol of the living. She almost stands under a candle stub that has gone out, a symbol of death. The mirror in the background is surrounded by scenes of the life of Christ. Those on the left side, where Mr. Arnolfini stands, depict His life and miracles. Those on the right side, behind Mrs., Arnolfini depict His passion and death. It took the National Gallery a long time to disagree with the long held belief that Mrs. Arnolfini isn't pregnant in this painting. Maybe in another 100 years it will agree that the painting commemorates her death.

A truly beautiful piece

I wanted to know more about the mirror.

but how much is it worth?

Hectic

A few things left out of the analysis. Symbolism of the dog (faithfulness in marriage), the shoes being removed by both, the single lit candle (representing the Deity). The Latin inscription was thought to have been added later. Good video; thanks.

It seems like , becouse the scens with Christ from woman's side reprezents Christ dead, it seems that she was allready death at the time van Eyck painted this . Also, the candle up in the chandelliere , place on her side is not lightening !
So, this it seems like a comemorative portrait of her , ordered by her's still liveing husband !

Incredible detail!

This was a great summary, I read a whole book about this painting and you still managed to mention things that were unknown to me.

A compelling and moving description of this painting. Thank you.

"Shamrock Tea" by Ciaran Carson has a plot which revolves gorgeously around this painting. Highly recommended.

Wonderful. Concise share.

Beautifully narrated!