Northern Renaissance Art Analysis

The Northern Renaissance began as a result of Italian's strong influence on neighboring countries when it came to artwork with Christian themes, as well as the prolonged conflict between France and England that caused several artists to relocate. In order to avoid the outbreak of The Hundred Year's War and successfully search for inspiration, artists migrated out of the country to further their work, while also showcasing new thoughts and ideals that were widely unknown to artists who lived in Germany, England and France. In spite of the overwhelming crisis that Europe was under, the country was still able to experience cultural growth and artist persisted with confidence and ambition, encouraging individuality and social freedom among their
fellow peers. New concepts were delivered to the surrounding countries, sparking creativity within the art community as painters and writers studied these ideas and translated them into terms that they could better comprehend. Soon enough people returned to their homes, sharing what they had learned during their travels, while realizing that they had also changed the perspectives of several important figures in the area. Artisan guilds made up of visionary artists ( such as Giotto, Duccio, Jean Pucelle, and Master Theodoric ) took advantage of the artist movement by organizing a system that specialized in educating apprentices, attracting a number of art enthusiasts who traveled all the way Italy to study the work of masters, and where willing to participate in guilds that were not available in their own countries. Artwork produced during the Northern Renaissance paid tribute to several religious figures, utilizing symbols and consistent designs to interpret specific Christian narratives.
This Mystery Painting is one of many pieces that have been interpreted differently between artists of the 14th century. To begin analyzing the artwork, you can see that two figures are engaging one another in what appears to be a small bedroom. The figure on the left, dressed white robes is engaging the kneeling figure on the right who has her hand raised in front of her. The position of their body language suggests an conversation significant to the subject of the painting, as well as the figures themselves. To identify both figures, their attire and status should be analyzed first. In most religious paintings the color blue is worn by the Virgin Mary, who is always depicted in a long cloak. Another indication that the figure is indeed Mary is the book she is holding in her left hand, which represents the forthcoming New Testament and the end of the Old Testament. With evidence from other interpretations of the Virgin Mary, it can be safely assumed that the robbed figure adjacent to her could be Gabriel the angel, which explains why she is depicted with wings and clothed in
white. Several religious symbols surround the bedroom that are connected to Mary, but more specifically her role as a vessel. The most prominent piece in this setting is the bed placed just behind, painted entirely in red. This hue represents the virginal womb or in some cases, the marital chamber. The two open windows located in foreground and background also pertain to Mary's virginity, as do the white Lily's in the vase on the bottom left corner of the Mystery Painting. Open windows relate to Mary's openness to accept the gift of carrying baby Jesus and it is also added that clear windows reflects her purity: clean, untouched and exempt of any sins, as the Mother of Jesus would be. With this information brought forward, you can begin to understand the meaning behind this scene. Gabriel stands before Mary, looking to speak with her or get her attention, based on the position of her hands and the bending of her knees. In response, Mary raises her left hand as if to show that she hears the angel and is carefully considering her words. Notice how she is turned away from the stool where she was busy reading. She was most likely interrupted by Gabriel's presence; an encounter she was not prepared for, an encounter from a person who hails from Heaven and not Earth. With this observation paired with the painting's iconography, the assumption that the angel's words involve the coming of Jesus Christ is well proven. Now that the Mystery Painting has been analyzed, a comparison can be made with Jan van Eyck’s "Arnolfini Portrait". Although there are a number of symbols displayed in the Arnolfini Portrait that the Mystery Painting does not share, in relation to an actual marriage ceremony, it can be argued that both women share a common fate within the settings that are placed in. In the portrait the joining of both the bride and grooms hands is meant to be seen as a marital oath, a contract which both parties have agreed upon. With this agreement, the wife inherits responsibilities and understands her duty to her husband, as well as their home. An oath that requires one to fulfill their designated role works as a parallel with the Mystery Painting where Gabriel explains that Mary has been chosen to receive the gift of motherhood, to which Mary responds with a similar hand gesture. Next, note that the bride stands in front a bed which happens to be painted red, the color associated with a marital chamber, identical to the bed featured in the Mystery Painting. Also take note that an open window can bee seen on the left side of portrait, which makes perfect sense when you extract its meaning from the Mystery Painting. The bride, pure and undefiled, gladly awaits to be blessed with a child with open arms. With these items brought forward, the relation between Jan van Eyck’s Portrait and the Myster Painting can now be understood. The wife's willingness to follow through with the marriage ceremony, become a proper bride, and produce a child can be connected directly to Mary's decision to accept her duty to become the vessel in which baby Jesus will be born from.