Jan Van Eyck’s Beautiful Arnolfini Marriage

Today in class I was able to view two interesting paintings that caught my eye. One is called the Arnolfini Marriage by Jan van Eyck & Hans Holbein the Younger, Jean de Dinteville and Georges de Selve The ambassadors. The Arnolfini marriage is a painting that symbolism wealth and love. The couple is standing defiantely in a room that is well decorated. They have a little dog that is painting that represents fidelity and loyalty. On the chandelier there is a candle that is lit and can stand for many different things.

In comparison to the ambassadors painting the two males stand confidently and well clothed. They seem to be wealthy just like the couple in the other painting. The man on left which is Jean is holding a dagger and George is placing his arm on a book, I am confused about what this actually represents. There seems to be objects on top and bottom of the shelf. The top represents earthly/astronomy like things and on the bottom there is musical objects like a guitar songbook. The painting is very linear. There is a 3 dimensional type skull in front of painting that gives it a different perspective as the viewer.

Van Eyck’s greatest masterpieces is the Arnolfini Wedding Portrait, (1434, Oil on Panel, 32 ¼” x 23 ½’, National Gallery, London).

Hans Holbein the Younger, The Ambassadors

This WordPress article discusses some of the meanings behind the objects included throughout the piece.  One of the more enervating inclusions is the anamrphic skull

Help Received: Matthew Penaranda; McVey, SM