Jan van Eyck

Ghent Altarpiece, Arnolfini Portrait — oil painting perfected

The painter who perfected oil technique and, in doing so, created a new standard of visual reality. The Ghent Altarpiece is the most ambitious panel painting of the fifteenth century; the Arnolfini Portrait captures fabrics, light, and reflection with a precision that astonished Vasari. The entire Northern Renaissance descends from him.

Key works

• Ghent Altarpiece1432— The most stolen artwork in history — 12 panels of dazzling detail
  St Bavo's Cathedral, Ghent
• Arnolfini Portrait1434— The convex mirror, the chandelier, the dog — every surface alive
  National Gallery, London

Connections

External