Symbolism and Multiple Meanings in Jan Van Eyck's Wedding Portrait
Symbolism and the Multiple Meanings in Jan Van Eyck's Arnolfini Wedding Portrait
Throughout the Renaissance, many talented artists tried to express deep symbolism in their paintings, but no one came close to the ability of Jan Van Eyck. His paintings were so accurate and realistic that it was necessary for him to paint his miniaturists with a single strand of hair, on a brush. Jan's Arnolfini Wedding Portrait (1434) is so photo-realistic that it has been debated for decades of it's legality of a wedding document. This paper will help to understand Jan's extreme use of symbolisms and the multiple meanings of his Arnolfini wedding scene. Today it is almost impossible to prove that this painting was an official wedding document. Marriages of wealthy people were almost always social events. One of the reasons that you could see this as a legal document is because Jan is so accurate. Jan painted this wedding scene in the 14th century and in the 15th century this painting would not stand in court. Even if it was a contract it would take place at home and without a priest. The Catholic Church discouraged this type of marriage but it wasn't always denied. In the latter middle ages of France, you would have been excommunicated for such an action. Because of Arnolfini's social status it would have probably been required for Arnolfini to have a social wedding therefore Jan might have painted this before or after the wedding. From first glance you could presume that this painting has the potential to be a legal document but there are so many factors that state otherwise. In the middle of the painting you can see Jan's signature and it says "Jan was here 1434" (figure 3). This could have easily been a signature that was signing a wedding deal. On the other hand Jan normally signed his paintings in elaborate ways. Jan, most of the time, put the month, date, and the year on his paintings, so why did he only put the year on a presumed legal document? Why is
Throughout the Renaissance, many talented artists tried to express deep symbolism in their paintings, but no one came close to the ability of Jan Van Eyck. His paintings were so accurate and realistic that it was necessary for him to paint his miniaturists with a single strand of hair, on a brush. Jan's Arnolfini Wedding Portrait (1434) is so photo-realistic that it has been debated for decades of it's legality of a wedding document. This paper will help to understand Jan's extreme use of symbolisms and the multiple meanings of his Arnolfini wedding scene. Today it is almost impossible to prove that this painting was an official wedding document. Marriages of wealthy people were almost always social events. One of the reasons that you could see this as a legal document is because Jan is so accurate. Jan painted this wedding scene in the 14th century and in the 15th century this painting would not stand in court. Even if it was a contract it would take place at home and without a priest. The Catholic Church discouraged this type of marriage but it wasn't always denied. In the latter middle ages of France, you would have been excommunicated for such an action. Because of Arnolfini's social status it would have probably been required for Arnolfini to have a social wedding therefore Jan might have painted this before or after the wedding. From first glance you could presume that this painting has the potential to be a legal document but there are so many factors that state otherwise. In the middle of the painting you can see Jan's signature and it says "Jan was here 1434" (figure 3). This could have easily been a signature that was signing a wedding deal. On the other hand Jan normally signed his paintings in elaborate ways. Jan, most of the time, put the month, date, and the year on his paintings, so why did he only put the year on a presumed legal document? Why is
Bibliography: Harbison, Craig. Sexuality and Social Standing of Jan Van Eyck 's Arnolfini Double Portrait. Renaissance Quarterly, Vol. 43, No. 2 (Summer 1990), pgs. 249-291. Phillip, Lotte Brand. The Ghent Altarpiece and the Art of Jan Van Eyck. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1971.