Description of Jan van Eyck's Arnolfini Portrait

Arnolfini Portrait is a 1434 oil painting on wood by Jan van Eyck. The painting is a full-length portrait, the two main characters are Italian merchant Giovanni Arnolfini and his wife in the bedroom of their home.

Giovanni and his wife are gazing each other and the wife rests her hand in her husband's palm.  The small dog may also have been part of the couple's home. The two figures are very richly dressed, shows their wealthy family. The interior of the room has other signs of wealth. The brass chandelier  with a single candle burning is large and elaborate, it would have been very expensive. The very interesting thing is the convex mirror on the back wall, because viewers can see not only Arnolfini and his wife, but also two people who look into the room through the door. One of them should be the artist Jan van Eyck. And he wrote "Johannes de Eyck fuit hic 1434" above the mirror to announces he was present.

The painting has remarkable realism. Jan van Eyck used the technique of glazes to create a painting with an intensity of both tone and colour. Everything in this painting are exquisite. He carefully distinguished textures and light to show the space in an interior. Jan van Eyck use rich colours also help to highlight the realism, and to show Arnolfini's luxury lifestyle.