THE ARNOLFINI MARRIAGE,
Jan van Eyck (1433)
The Arnolfini Marriage
is a painting accomplished
by the Flemish artist Jan van Eyck in 1434. It is widely considered a
masterpiece of the Flemish Primitives, which is thought to have been the
pictorial trend between the Gothic and Renaissance periods in Northern Europe. This
work of art, not higher than a metre, can be appreciated at the National
Gallery in London.
In the forefront we can behold a man and a woman,
holding hands, and a little dog in front of them. The former is wearing sober
garments. A long, velvet, brown coat and the big, dark hat are remarkable. The
latter is dressed in apple-green, with a sumptuously ornamented gown that covers
a blue robe. Her head is covered with a white cap. In the background the rest
of the dependency can be admired. On the right there is a magnificent,
vermilion bed. In the upper part a six-branched chandelier hangs from the
ceiling, under which one can read the inscription, “Johannes de eyck fuit hic”
(Jan van Eyck was here). A convex mirror, a blood-red armchair and a brown rug
occupy the central part of the picture. On the left hand-side the light enters
through a wooden window. Behind the man there is a chest. There are some red fruits
on that chest and on the window-sill. On the bottom left-hand corner a pair of
clogs lie on the floor.
The image seems to be solemn. Not for nothing,
both of these people were noble. They are standing and, after the title of the
painting, they are getting married. It is said that before the 15th
century couples could enter into marriage with their mere consent. The fact
that one of the candles of the chandelier is lit despite the daylight was
interpreted as the presence of God, Who gave His approval to the wedding. The
green colour of the woman’s garments is seen as hope and both her white cap and
the spotless mirror as purity. However, the ceremony appears to be clandestine
in that the woman was supposed to be pregnant, something that had not been
proved as the Arnolfinis did not have any offspring. The presence of a dog, a
man’s loyal friend, can be taken as their desire to be parents. The red fruits
are a symbol of the love the couple felt for each other.
I remember seeing this picture for the first time.
It was in February 2000, while I was in an art history lesson. I was willing to
pass all the subjects to sit the exams that gave an access to the university.
By that date people were so nervous that almost anything from the lessons
called our attention. Nevertheless, viewing not only this image but also The Polyptich with the Adoration of the
Mystic Lamb, by the same author, made me open my eyes wide due to their
simplicity and beauty. It evokes me a time when I was yearning for living on my
own, far away from my parents’ umbrella. I was eager to be on age and
independent. This painting has nothing to do with this idea but that is what
comes to my head when I watch it.
