Portrait of Margaret van Eyck
Encyclopedia
Portrait of Margaret van Eyck (or Margaret, the Artist's Wife) is a 1439 oil on wood
painting by the Early Netherlandish
master Jan van Eyck
. It is one of the two latest known of his paintings, and one of the earliest European artworks to depict a painter's spouse.
The reason for its inception is unknown; it may have been created to commemorate the couple's anniversary, or her birthday, or as a gift to her, or as half of a lost diptych
. That it was created for private rather than public viewing can be inferred from the sitter's unidealised representation and her direct but plaintive gaze towards the viewer which creates an intimate setting and informal atmosphere. The artist, who would die within two years of this work, inscribed plates on the top and ends of the frame in Greek lettering with the words, "My husband Johannes completed me in the year 1439 on 17 June, at the age of 33. As I can."
is decorated with fine lace. Her left eye shows evidence of a squint
, a feature unusually evident in northern europen of the era. The painter has taken a number of liberties with representation to accentuate the features of his wife. Her head is out of proportion to her body, and her forehead unusually and fashionably high. This device allowed the artist to concentrate on the facial features of his wife, while the geometric pattern formed by her head-dress, arms and the V of her neck-line allows her face to dominate the image.
The couple likely married around 1432-33, soon after his move to Bruges
in today's Belgium
- she is unmentioned before he relocated while the first of their two children was born in 1434. Very little is known of Margaret, even her maiden name is lost - contemporary records refer to her mainly as Damoiselle Marguierite. She is thought to have been of aristocratic birth, though from the lower nobility; evidenced from her clothes in this portrait which are fashion but not of the sumptuousness worn by the bride in van Eyck's Arnolfini Portrait
. The fabrics and colours worn by people of the 15th century were informally regulated by their social position; for example black, an expensive dye, could only be worn by the upper reaches of society. As the widow of a renowned painter, Margaret was afforded a modest pension by the city of Bruges after Jan's death. It is recorded that at least some of this income was invested in lottery
.
are highly regarded today, they had fallen out of fashion by the early 1500s. This work was not rediscovered until the late 18th century when it was found for sale in a Belgian fish market, although accounts differ. As with most of the rediscovered works of its era, it under went a number of attributions before a broad consensus on its origin was formed. The portrait is still in its original frame and is in very good condition with the colours and paint well preserved. It was cleaned and restored by the National Gallery
, London in 1998.
Many early collectors and later art historians speculated that it might have once formed half of a diptych. It was paired as a pedant
for a time with a self-portrait by van Eyck when two of his works were acquired by the chapel of the Guild of Saint Luke
before 1769. Some critics, when supporting the theory of a diptych, mention to van Eyck's double portrait in the National Gallery
, London, which may or not be portraits of Jan and his wife
. A third painting is suspected but not known to be a portrait of Margaret, his 1436 Lucca Madonna
. However, art historian Max Friedlænder
warned against assumptions based on facial resemblance, believing that artists of the time may have projected the likeness of the women in their lives onto female subjects in their religious work.
Panel painting
A panel painting is a painting made on a flat panel made of wood, either a single piece, or a number of pieces joined together. Until canvas became the more popular support medium in the 16th century, it was the normal form of support for a painting not on a wall or vellum, which was used for...
painting by the Early Netherlandish
Early Netherlandish painting
Early Netherlandish painting refers to the work of artists active in the Low Countries during the 15th- and early 16th-century Northern renaissance, especially in the flourishing Burgundian cities of Bruges and Ghent...
master Jan van Eyck
Jan van Eyck
Jan van Eyck was a Flemish painter active in Bruges and considered one of the best Northern European painters of the 15th century....
. It is one of the two latest known of his paintings, and one of the earliest European artworks to depict a painter's spouse.
The reason for its inception is unknown; it may have been created to commemorate the couple's anniversary, or her birthday, or as a gift to her, or as half of a lost diptych
Diptych
A diptych di "two" + ptychē "fold") is any object with two flat plates attached at a hinge. Devices of this form were quite popular in the ancient world, wax tablets being coated with wax on inner faces, for recording notes and for measuring time and direction.In Late Antiquity, ivory diptychs with...
. That it was created for private rather than public viewing can be inferred from the sitter's unidealised representation and her direct but plaintive gaze towards the viewer which creates an intimate setting and informal atmosphere. The artist, who would die within two years of this work, inscribed plates on the top and ends of the frame in Greek lettering with the words, "My husband Johannes completed me in the year 1439 on 17 June, at the age of 33. As I can."
Description
Margaret is shown in three-quarter view, that is her body almost directly facing the viewer but not quite. She is set against a flat black and featureless background, wearing an elegant red woolen gown with grey fur lining (in the medieval period fur often represented female sexuality), probably from squirrel, in the neck and cuffs. Her horned wimpleWimple
A wimple is a garment worn around the neck and chin, and which usually covers the head. Its use developed among women in early medieval Europe . At many stages of medieval culture it was unseemly for a married woman to show her hair...
is decorated with fine lace. Her left eye shows evidence of a squint
Strabismus
Strabismus is a condition in which the eyes are not properly aligned with each other. It typically involves a lack of coordination between the extraocular muscles, which prevents bringing the gaze of each eye to the same point in space and preventing proper binocular vision, which may adversely...
, a feature unusually evident in northern europen of the era. The painter has taken a number of liberties with representation to accentuate the features of his wife. Her head is out of proportion to her body, and her forehead unusually and fashionably high. This device allowed the artist to concentrate on the facial features of his wife, while the geometric pattern formed by her head-dress, arms and the V of her neck-line allows her face to dominate the image.
Bruges
Bruges is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located in the northwest of the country....
in today's Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
- she is unmentioned before he relocated while the first of their two children was born in 1434. Very little is known of Margaret, even her maiden name is lost - contemporary records refer to her mainly as Damoiselle Marguierite. She is thought to have been of aristocratic birth, though from the lower nobility; evidenced from her clothes in this portrait which are fashion but not of the sumptuousness worn by the bride in van Eyck's Arnolfini Portrait
Arnolfini portrait
The Arnolfini Portrait is an oil painting on oak panel dated 1434 by the Early Netherlandish painter Jan van Eyck. It is also known as The Arnolfini Wedding, The Arnolfini Marriage, The Arnolfini Double Portrait or the Portrait of Giovanni Arnolfini and his Wife, among other titles...
. The fabrics and colours worn by people of the 15th century were informally regulated by their social position; for example black, an expensive dye, could only be worn by the upper reaches of society. As the widow of a renowned painter, Margaret was afforded a modest pension by the city of Bruges after Jan's death. It is recorded that at least some of this income was invested in lottery
Lottery
A lottery is a form of gambling which involves the drawing of lots for a prize.Lottery is outlawed by some governments, while others endorse it to the extent of organizing a national or state lottery. It is common to find some degree of regulation of lottery by governments...
.
Attribution
Although works of the Northern RenaissanceNorthern Renaissance
The Northern Renaissance is the term used to describe the Renaissance in northern Europe, or more broadly in Europe outside Italy. Before 1450 Italian Renaissance humanism had little influence outside Italy. From the late 15th century the ideas spread around Europe...
are highly regarded today, they had fallen out of fashion by the early 1500s. This work was not rediscovered until the late 18th century when it was found for sale in a Belgian fish market, although accounts differ. As with most of the rediscovered works of its era, it under went a number of attributions before a broad consensus on its origin was formed. The portrait is still in its original frame and is in very good condition with the colours and paint well preserved. It was cleaned and restored by the National Gallery
National gallery
The National Gallery is an art gallery on Trafalgar Square, London, United Kingdom.National Gallery may also refer to:*Armenia: National Gallery of Armenia, Yerevan*Australia:**National Gallery of Australia, Canberra...
, London in 1998.
Many early collectors and later art historians speculated that it might have once formed half of a diptych. It was paired as a pedant
Pedant
A pedant is a person who is excessively concerned with formalism and precision, or who makes a show of his or her learning.-Etymology:The English language word "pedant" comes from the French pédant or its older mid-15th Century Italian source pedante, "teacher, schoolmaster"...
for a time with a self-portrait by van Eyck when two of his works were acquired by the chapel of the Guild of Saint Luke
Guild of Saint Luke
The Guild of Saint Luke was the most common name for a city guild for painters and other artists in early modern Europe, especially in the Low Countries. They were named in honor of the Evangelist Luke, the patron saint of artists, who was identified by John of Damascus as having painted the...
before 1769. Some critics, when supporting the theory of a diptych, mention to van Eyck's double portrait in the National Gallery
National gallery
The National Gallery is an art gallery on Trafalgar Square, London, United Kingdom.National Gallery may also refer to:*Armenia: National Gallery of Armenia, Yerevan*Australia:**National Gallery of Australia, Canberra...
, London, which may or not be portraits of Jan and his wife
Portrait of a Man (Self Portrait?)
The Portrait of a Man , also often known as Portrait of a Man in a Turban, or in a red turban, etc, is an oil painting by the Early Netherlandish master Jan van Eyck, from 1433...
. A third painting is suspected but not known to be a portrait of Margaret, his 1436 Lucca Madonna
Lucca Madonna (van Eyck)
The Lucca Madonna is an oil painting of the Madonna and Child by the Early Netherlandish master Jan van Eyck, from 1436. It is on display in the Städel Museum in Frankfurt....
. However, art historian Max Friedlænder
Max Jakob Friedländer
Max Jakob Friedländer was a German art expert and art historian . He attained the rank and title of "Geheimrat" under the German Empire....
warned against assumptions based on facial resemblance, believing that artists of the time may have projected the likeness of the women in their lives onto female subjects in their religious work.
Sources
- Borchert, Till-Holger. "Margaret van Eyck", in Van Eych to Durer. London: Thames & Hudson, 2011. ISBN 978-0-500-23883-7
- Campbell, Lorne. The Fifteenth-Century Netherlandish Paintings. London, National Gallery. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1998. ISBN 0-300-07701-7
- Harbison, Craig. "Jan van Eyck: The Play of Realism". Reaktion Books, 1997. ISBN 0-9484-6279-5
- Smith, Jeffrey Chipps. The Northern Renaissance. London: Phaidon Press, 2004. ISBN 0-7148-3867-5
- Van Der Elst, Joseph. "The Last Flowering of the Middle Ages". Kessinger Publishing, 2005. ISBN 1-4191-3806-5