The Arnolfini Portrait (full title: Portrait of Giovanni Arnolfini and his Wife) is a 1434 painting by Jan van Eyck.
This work is a portrait of Giovanni di Nicolao Arnolfini and his wife Giovanna Cenami in a Flemish bedchamber. It is currently part of the collection of the National Gallery in London, which acquired it in 1842.
Debates around the painting
Whether it is or not intended as a record of their wedding is a matter of debate. For instance, an analysis by Erwin Panofsky, published in 1934 in an article, "Jan van Eyck's 'Arnolfini' Portrait" in the Burlington Magazine, argued that it was painted as a legal document witnessing a marriage. His wife is not pregnant, as is often thought, but holding up her full-skirted dress in the contemporary fashion.
Symbolism
The symbolism in the painting reflects 15th century views of marriage and gender roles. Giovanni Arnolfini is dressed for bussiness. He is ready to leave the house and earn income to support his family. The open window next to which he stands hints at his role in the outside world. His wife, on the other hand, stands next to the bed, a symbol of her role as caretaker of the house. Giovanni looks directly out at the viewer; his wife gazes obediently at her husband.
The dog at her feet can be seen as an emblem of lust, signifying the couple's desire to have a baby in that big red bed, as the art historian Craig Harbison has argued. It can also be seen as an image of fidelity or as a symbol of domestic stability and tranquility. (The common name for dog, Fido, is Latin for "trust")
Details
The convex mirror at the back of the room reflects two figures in the doorway. One may be the painter himself. The mirror's frame contains images from of the Passion of Christ. The painting is signed, inscribed and dated on the wall above the mirror: "Johannes de eyck fuit hic. 1434" ("Jan Van Eyck was here. 1434").
The bedpost's finial is a tiny statue of Saint Margaret, patron saint of pregnancy. She was invoked to assist women in labour and to cure infertility. The brush, hanging on the bedpost, and the rosary, hanging next to the mirror, may refer to the saying "ora et labora" (pray and work), the expression par excellence of Christian virtue.
The red bed curtains allude to the physical act of love, the carnal union of the married couple. The green of the woman's dress symbolises hope (the hope of becoming a mother, perhaps?). Her white cap signifies purity.
The seven-armed chandelier has only one candle, lit in broad daylight. A burning candle often symbolises the presence of the Holy Ghost or the eye of God.
The oranges placed on the table by the window may refer to the age of innocence before the original sin. They are also a sign of wealth.
Arnolfini has removed his shoes, maybe out of respect for the sanctity of marriage.
See also
External links
Pictures
Last updated: 10-09-2005 20:36:52
