Jan van Eyck
By: Allison Clarke
Biography
-born in 1390 in Maastricht, Netherlands
-died in 1441
-Flemish (nationality)
-spent most of his life in the Netherlands and Portugal
-little is known about van Eyck's early life, but most historians believe that he was an apprentice to his two brothers who were also painters, Hubert and Lambert
-was also an apprentice under John of Bavaria
-at the age of 20, he became an apprentice. then when his employer died he had a 16 year career with another employer, then opened his own workshop in Bruges
-married Margaretha van Eyck and had 2 children
-created many paintings an drawings throughout his lifetime, mainly oil paintings, such as "Saint Jerome in His Study" and "Portrait of Margareta van Eyck"
-main patron was the rich and powerful Duke Philip the Good of Burgundy and in his early years, John of Barvaria
-he represents Secularism because his paintings are so detailed and show that he was very knowledgeable about geometry, astronomy, music, theology, literature, medicine, ancient history, and the human body.
Gallery
Virgin and Child, with Saints and Donor
Oil painting on canvas created in 1441
Madonna of the Church
Oil painting on wood created in 1425
Gonella, the Court Dwarf of the Dukes of Ferrara
Oil painting on oak wood
The Ghent Altarpiece
-created in 1432
-oil painting on panel
-currently resides at Sint Baafskathedraal Gent (A.K.A. Saint Bavo Cathedral)
-this piece was very significant because mot of his paintings were on a small scale, and this one was very large, yet still just as detailed
-I think this piece is interesting because there are so many different parts to the painting, which makes it interesting to look at. there are so many little details you can see. Also, the colors are so bright and saturated, and there is a wide variety of colors.
-This painting represents secularism because van Eyck shows his vast knowledge of human anatomy and theology through the nudes and people and biblical parts of the scene
Citations:
"Jan van Eyck." International Dictionary of Art and Artists. Gale, 1990. Biography in Context. Web. 18 Nov. 2013.
<5>
AR: Jan van Eyck
TI: Gonella, the Court Dwarf of the Dukes of Ferrara
DS: Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien (inv. 1840)
AA: ARTstor
CN: LESSING_ART_1039902034
UR: http://library.artstor.org/library/secure/ViewImages?id=%2FThWdC8hIywtPygxFTx5TnkgXXsoeg%3D%3D
<6>
AR: Jan van Eyck, European Flemish, active 1422-1441
TI: Virgin and Child, with Saints and Donor
DT: c. 1441-1443
DS: The Frick Collection
DS: New York, New York, USA
DS: Purchased
DS: 54.1.161
DS: http://www.frick.org/
AA: ARTstor
CN: AMICO_FRICK_103804838
UR: http://library.artstor.org/library/secure/ViewImages?id=8D1Efjk2MyAoJiYuFTx5T3EtU3Ig
<7>
AR: Eyck, Jan van, 1390-1440
TI: Madonna of the Church
DT: c.1425
AA: ARTstor
CN: ARTSTOR_103_41822000785343
UR: http://library.artstor.org/library/secure/ViewImages?id=8CJGczI9NzldLS1WEDhzTnkrX3ksclB6fiE%3D
<8>
AR: Jan Van Eyck
TI: The Ghent Altarpiece, open (Retable de L' Agneau Mystique Ouvert.)
DT: completed 1432
DS: Sint Baafskathedraal Gent [Saint Bavo Cathedral]
DS: http://www.sintbaafskathedraal.be/
AA: ARTstor
CN: ALUKASWEBIG_10313646550
UR: http://library.artstor.org/library/secure/ViewImages?id=8DxZaj80LiY0JyAiFTx5RnssXXsofVg%3D