Analysis Of Jan Van Eyck's Paintings: The Virgin And Children

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Among artists of the Flemish Renaissance, Jan van Eyck painted works of art that made him stick out from the other painters in Flanders during this time, such as Robert Campin or Pieter Bruegel the Elder. His use of light sources and shadows to manipulate the sense of space in his paintings led many to see him as the “hero” of the Flemish Renaissance. He employed the technique of linear perspective in his oil paintings, and was known for paying great attention to the realistic detail of figures and elements in his portraits. van Eyck painted both secular images, such as the Arnolfini Portrait, as well as religious artwork like the Ghent Altarpiece. The focus of this essay is one van Eyck’s paintings, The Virgin and Child with Chancellor Rolin, commissioned by Chancellor Rolin of Burgundy which is currently located at the Louvre Museum in Paris, France. Within this paper, the Flemish oil painting of ca. 1435 will be analyzed in a historical context to interpret its function within a church in Autun, France. Also, the painting will be examined to …show more content…

The verses consist of the appreciation of all of God’s creation such as all the creatures and landscapes of the world. The main idea and message of this painting is to acknowledge the world which is all God’s creation which is shown by the inscriptions on Mary’s cloak, as well as the city in the background of the painting. Also, the idea behind this work revolves around Christ, as God, being the creator of the world, as emphasized by the globe that he is holding in his hand. The globe consists of a crystal sphere with a large, jeweled cross mounted on top of it. The globe, as explained before, represents God’s power of creation, and the cross above represents God’s authority over the mortal world as a heavenly

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