Giovani Arnolfini And His Wife Analysis

Van Eyck's Portrait of Giovani Arnolfini and His Wife, Givanna Cenami and Masaccio's Trinity with the Virgin, Saint John the Evangelist, and Donors are two paintings that clearly reflect the respective artistic traditions of the Northern and Italian Renaissance. Each painting is reflective of the buying public, the northern resistance to let go of Gothic design, the dichatomony of a more Humanistic tradition and a more religious culture, the area's climate, the restructuring of the church with Martin Luther, the guild systems, and the mass production of illuminated manuscripts. Each tiny influence of the current culture had a very visible influence on the respective paintings.

The Northern Renaissance was assisted by the ritzy aristocracy that sought to fill their homes with paintings and artwork. As such artists were commissioned to paint family portraits or whatever was requested. Those who purchased paintings also wanted to maximize on their purchase and wanted the artist to put as much detail into the painting as possible. Most Northern
Renaissance paintings were detailed and cluttered and Van Eyck's painting is no different. Color, hue, detail, and light were of great importance. Givanna Cenami is wearing a deep green dress with very complex painted ruffles along the side as well as a headscarf that the artist trims with very intricately done lace. Additionally, Van Eyck painted every detail in the room from the details on the couple, their dog, the furniture, and the reflection in the mirror. What was selling in Holland and Germany, however, was not reflective of the Italian Renaissance that focused instead on more of the religious elements of the Catholic Church. With a focus on the crucifixion the artists of the Italian Renaissance perfected the skill of the "convincing integration of human figures into rational architectural settings" (Stockstad 303). The composition contrasted than that of the north in that the Italians were more concerned with the perspective and proportion of the subject. The detail on the physical body of the subject is captured with a remarkable likeness using shadows to convey the lines of the muscle and bone of Christ during the Crucifixion.

The artists of the Northern Renaissance were fewer than those in Italy and thus more spread out resulting in less communication and comparison. As a result the Gothic traditions already in place in Germany, France, and England lasted longer than in Italy where things began to change quicker and easier. As such the importance of light and flash continued into privately contracted works. Such is the case with Van Eyck's painting where the chandler captures the outside light that beams through the window of Arnolfini's home. Too the Gothic influence of the stained glass window is depicted in the window in the Arnolfini home. Such stained glass is also reflective in Van Eyck's other paintings such as The Annunciation.

The Burgundian Dukes of the north became the purchasers of the art of the Renaissance but their interests were more focused on the illuminated manuscripts, tapestries, and furnishings of the day (Eassk). Illuminated manuscripts began with the grisailles books from the Middle Ages – but became more detailed with the semi-grisailles books that used color and detail to draw attention to certain words, phrases, names, or subjects within the text. As the illuminated manuscript became popular a higher demand was sought with more color, more detail, and much more flash and flair in appearance. Dukes wanted to fill castles (Eassk) whereas the Italians continued the Roman tradition of sculpture, painting, and architecture.
Another main factor in looking at the different paintings was the climate of each area. With Italy being located in the Mediterranean Sea with a mild and damp climate – artists used paint that was lighter and better suited for the frescos. The northern areas were colder and more conducive to oil paints where the proper processes for frescos could not be completed. While the north perfected the oils such as the ones used in Van Eyck's work, Italy developed the lighter paint to better improve paint texture and reflect light. This can account for Masaccio's painting having a lighter quality to it – both in visual light and in texture of the paint. Van Eyck's piece is thicker with paint and heavier.
Religion played an import role in each artist's influence.
The Catholic Church was (and still is) very strong in Italy and as such depictions of Christ were more important to people in Italy than in the north where disinterest was beginning to develop in the northern countries where there was more of a focus on philosophy and thinking rationally. With the revolution of Martin Luther and eventually the reign of Henry VIII who threw off his allegiance to the Catholic Church in the mid sixteenth century. These influences made paintings like Masaccio's a hot commodity to cathedrals around Italy. Humanism was an influence within the Catholic Church with a focus on values, capacities, worth, needs, and welfare of the people. Such images of Christ as in Masaccio's painting were reminders of such philosophies. Northern countries did not have such examples of ancient times but rather depicted people in their daily
lives.
Guilds were also very influential in both the north and in Italy. Guilds were begun by craftsmen who could appetence and scholar younger craftsmen and artists in the classical techniques used by other artists in the area. Typically the Guildsmen would take a portion of the sale of a piece crafted by one of their students acting like a contemporary manager or agent. Guilds became more influential in the north than they were in Italy.
Another similarity was that of the centers of activity for both regions of activity. For the north it was Flanders and in Italy it was Florence. Each city served as a cultural mecca for studying and creating various types of art from the respective regions.