The London History Show: The Arnolfini Portrait
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- čas přidán 3. 05. 2020
- In this episode, we're looking at the mysterious "Arnolfini Portrait" by Northern Renaissance artist Jan van Eyck, on display in the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square. I think the Northern Renaissance- van Eyck, Holbein, Durer- is a really good place to start if you're looking to learn about art history. It's really skilful, but at the same time you can still see places where they can still improve, like how the perspective and anatomy are a little off in this painting.
In each episode of The London History Show, we'll be looking at a different statue, plaque, building or feature of London's landscape that you can find for yourself, and we'll tell its story.
If you want to find the location of any London History Show episode for yourself, you can do that here: drive.google.com/open?id=1MfS...
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I got a degree in Art History, and in one of my first classes we discussed this painting at length. I still remember the professor laughing uproariously when I asked if this was a shotgun wedding!
I couldn’t help but notice the lighting on her is different. She is very illuminated, especially in comparison to him, who is closer to the window.
The "Stitch In Time" episode on this was great. Thank you for the video! I get tired of correcting other videos, practically screaming "SHE'S NOT PREGNANT!" Lol
Just linked it too. I like the Victoria and ww2 1
That video was the top recommended below this at the point I watched this. I'll click to watch it when I finish this video
pretty sure the details on Mrs Arnolfini's gown are dagging not smocking. and the shoes that are seen scattered about in the painting are actually overshoes, or pattens, which were made specifically to walk outside and avoid getting mud all over one's feet/dress. so it makes sense that they wouldn't be wearing them inside their home, though wearing at least basic shoes indoors was of course the norm at the time. I'mnot sure Mr Arnolfini is actually shoeless tbh. And they were kind of a status symbol as well, so that explains why Van Eyck would have bothered painting them, much like the oranges.
In the mirror they arent Holding hands. Very scary. Their hands are just Missing while their sleeves are still reaching out
I wish my art and english classes had been more like this:
Here's some historical context that might be useful. Here's some awesome details. And since there's no documentation explaining the artist's intent, or the client's wishes - we don't actually know "why".
Thank you. I think I may buy the 1000 piece jigsaw of this painting. Jigsaws are a marvellous way of getting to see new things in paintings as they force you to stare at details for hours, or days if you are as bad at them as I am.
I just can’t get over how realistic yet surreal it looks
I really learned so much about this painting. I’ve seen it many times (not in person!) but never knew all the intricate details. Many thanks.
Same. I especially liked the point about the textures of the clothes and doggy fur. Never noticed the nuances.
I do love me some van Eyck analysis.
There are two great tretises on the historical significance of the "Arnolfini Portrait" by the historians Jacob Burckhardt, and Johan Huzinga. Burckhardts work looks at the scene through an analysis of material and innovation. He brings up a lot of the materials that you talk about, but also that the chandelier and the mirror are examples of modern (at least in Europe) renaissance technology. The new Italian innovations on the smeltmill was (probably) used for the cast brass of the chandelier and the mirror using fire-gilded tin.
This Burckhardt sees as the emergence of the new era, the Renaissance A time of new innovation artisanship and individualism.
Johan Huizinga, who greatly admired Bruckherdt, on the other hand, thought of the Arnolfini portrait primarily as culture; namely late medieval. Huzinga sees the technology and innovation that Burckhardt notes, but he thinks that these parts of the scene are merely the braggings of a very wealthy merchant. What is important is the relationship between Giovanni Arnolfini and his unnamed wife. They represent the piety and courtly love of the time to the tea according to Huzinga. Posture, modesty, living, and maybe most importantly there is a lot of pius imagery in their room.
Huizinga did not see the Renaissance as it is own era. At least not as early as Burckhardt points to it starting. He instead points to it being a continuation of the high medieval culture.
It is a very interesting picture that can drive such a historical discussion.
Why isn’t the couple holding hands in the mirrored reflection?
The detail on that dress is bonkers.
You're first historian I've come across to state Mrs A was not pregnant, but clutching folds if her voluminous gown. Mind is blown! Thank you for showing other examples of ladies gown-clutching. Really enjoying the discovery of this channel & currently bingeing on all of your offerings. Especially the queer historical content.
Deep gratitude from across the pond 🐨 🇦🇺
I love this painting. Always have. The chandelier blows my mind actually.
Mine too! The chandelier looks photographic!
Thanks J, I’m fascinated by this picture, that and Holbein’s The Ambassadors.
When i saw the thumbnail I was excited to learn about a painting I had never seen or heard of but when you got to the part where you mentioned the dog I realized we have a replica of it hanging right outside my school unit door! The reason why I recognized it by the dog is because the first time I saw it I thought it was a cat at first and I look at it every time I go through that corridor 😭. This was so interesting and I’m really excited to talk about the little symbols and history of it the next time I find myself walking past it with someone
I had to do an interpretation of this painting in school years ago. Holy lord of memories...
I had never noticed the reflection in the mirror, I was too absorbed in the other details like the textiles, and the furs, and the dog. Thank you!
Weirdly, I was sort of unknowingly aware of the Arnolfini portrait before I knew what it was; there's an art gallery in central Bristol (near where I grew up) named the Arnolfini Gallery, named for the person who set it up's favourite painting.... which is to say the Arnolfini portrait, of course. It speaks to the subtle yet significant reputation and influence of the painting that people can grow up knowing its name, feeling its impact, without even being directly aware of it
A masterpiece! Also, the painting is a masterpiece.
The most fun I’ve had looking at The Arnolfini Wedding! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
I just discovered this channel and I LOVE it!
Very interesting video! I probably would’ve missed a lot of those tiny details.. thank you for showing them!
The pose with the hands is so tantalizing!
Totally my conjecture, but this video made me see this as, yes, a wedding portrait, but also a commentary on what marriage was for women in this period. I think their shoes, or their pattons, really, are off because they are being witnessed going to bed on their wedding night/day. I think her candle is out because she is about to lose the one thing of value this society thought women had to offer, her sexual "purity," and I think that is why her palm is turned up instead of down where they are holding hands--she is offering herself freely. She isn't pregnant, but maybe the attitude of her dress suggests that to be the desired outcome here. But in agreeing to all of this, she is risking her life. Pregnancy and childbirth are super dangerous. I think that's the other reason her candle is out. Perhaps she did die in childbirth, and this painting of their wedding was finished posthumously? The scenes around the mirror being the crucifixion kind of underscores all of those readings for me. I think the two figures in the mirror are witnesses to this couple going to bed to consummate their marriage, and perhaps Van Dyke was one of them. If she later died in childbirth, maybe he is exploring some feelings about having been a small part of this woman's life and death.
Or not. This is why art is cool.
the 'shoes' you see on the floor are not their shoes in the modern sense of the word, they are pattens or overshoes, meant to be worn on top of simple leather shoes to protect one's feet and clothes in muddy streets
That's a fascinating possible interpretation. Thank you!
The glass beads have always hypnotized me.
I've seen a few historical explanations of this painting and this was by far the most informative. Thanks!
This is truly my favourite painting just because of all its quirks and painting mastery, this is by far a better painting than the one that is in Paris which is given too much reverence in my opinion.
Thanks. Your comments great, as ever. Such an arresting painting on many levels. So glad you mentioned that hat and especially glad for the Putin reference.
Fascinating---thank you.
Thank you sharing this! I enjoyed this Lot.
Beautiful. Thank you.
it might be the tone you used but i’m rather freaked out, this is amazing but also creepy
7:11 when the picture is zooming in it looks, like there's a third candle behind the burned out one on the right. But so short, that you cant see the top, but the little hole in the metal, where the candle would be has the color of the candles, not the color of the wall, and it's the only hole or piece of wall in that light color.
(Also it's amazing how well it's painted, in the zoom it looks so real, that my brain is confused, why it wont parallax. I caught myself waiting for the assumed candle behind the hole to shift in my viewing angle, so that I can see if it is a candle or just weird light... )
You know, I always wondered for about why this painting looked so oddly familiar to me. Now suddenly it hit me: The Pythons used a very similar art style for their cartoons 😅
Fantastic!
Fascinating. Also your clicking at the end to stop recording i assume is funny too.
Great vid!
The painting signature of Van Eyk was here just sounds like a modern graffiti tag.
I immediately thought the signature was a bit of humor from the artist.
Good stuff: keep it up, thank you,
I like this you should make more videos like this
So van Eyck is the source of the wall grafitti "X was here $date"
aren't those "shoes" pattens that you would not wear indoors ever?
I had a hard time looking at anything else after I saw the woman's fingers. Those are horror movie long!
Try reading the "The Arnolfini Art Mysteries" series...
The artist was a proto-Kilroy. That's why he signed the painting like that.
Where was the artist? Was his perspective as seen in the mirror. could it be behind the couple?
This is hands down the best discussion of this painting I’ve seen before, and I’ve seen at least five 😂
For real, though, I love your thoughts on the reflection of the other people in the mirror and I had never heard anyone talk about the candles before ❤
This painting was called "Unbridled Celibacy" in the book "From Beowulf to Virginia Woolf" which was a 1066-And -All-That style treatment of English literary history using paintings from the National Gallery which meant no copyright fees. Yes, the usual thinking is the woman is pregnant. So you're saying not much is known about Mr. Arnolfini in Bruges?
she looks so much younger than him.
And I’m over here thinking Mr “Putin” looked like Frollo. 😂🤦🏽♀️
Even as a little kid, I thought this painting was because she was dead. An awful lot of Italian paintings of young women in Italy were representations after death. Most of them were fantasy images. In a way, this is too. The life she would have had if only she had lived.
Mr. Arnolfini is standing in front of a window in a wall only about 2 brick widths thick (about 8 inches). That's not a very expensive wall for a grand house. Maybe he was renting?
The couple both have faces you really don't see anymore, or is that the hats and hair dos?.I'm guessing they were in their late teens of early twenties?
Peaches, I think, not oranges.
Jamiroquai hat
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I wonder why the woman wears the rings in that way? 🤔
To me, He looks like Cillian Murphy.
And; the bed is a symbol of wealth--and this isn't their bedroom ...
The Mister looks more like a Misses.
Is it just me or the red figour in the miror is the devil?
Looks like Putin,
Dressed like Jamiroquai.
😂
Yes...an awful hat!