Work Wang Eyka. History of one masterpiece: "Portrait of Arnolphin Fau" Yana Wang Eyka

Jan Van Eyck (Notherl. Jan Van Eyck, Ok. 1385 or 1390, Maaseik-1441 Brugge) - the Netherlands painter of early Renaissance, Master of Portrait, author of more than 100 compositions on religious plots, one of the first artists who have mastered painting techniques with oil paints.

Biography Yang Wang Eyka

Yang Van Eyk Loud brother of the artist and his teacher Hubert Wang Eyka (1370-1426). The exact date of the birth of Jan Wang Enik is unknown. Born in the Northern Netherlands in the city of Mashaik.

He studied at the elder brother Hubert, with whom he worked until 1426

He began its activities in the Hague at the courtyard of the Netherlands Counts, was first mentioned between 1422 and 1426 as "Master Yang" in the rank of chamber-junker at Count Johann III.

From 1425, he is an artist and court duke of Burgundy Philip III of the Good, who highly appreciated him as an artist and generously paid his work.

In 1427-1428 As part of the Ducal Embassy Yang Van Eyk went to Spain, then in Portugal.

In 1427, he visited the tour, where he was adopted with the honorable local artists guild.

Probably met with Robert Campen, or saw his work.

He worked in Lille and Ghent, in 1431 acquired a house in Brugge and lived there until death.

Creativity Eyka.

Eyky's style was based on the implicit strength of realism, served as an important approach in late medieval art.

The outstanding achievements of this realistic direction, for example, the frescoes of Tommaso da Modena in Treviso, the work of Robert Campen, influenced the style of Yana Van Eyka.

Experimenting with realism, Jan Van Eyk achieved amazing accuracy, unusually pleasant differences between the quality of materials and natural light. This suggests that its careful outline of details of daily life was made with the intention to display the magnificence of the Lord of the creations.

Some writers falsely attribute to Jan Wang Eyka. Opening of painting equipment oil. Undoubtedly, he played a key role in improving this technique, reaching with its help unprecedented wealth and color saturation.

Yang Van Eyk developed the technique of Scripture with oil. He gradually sought a pedantic accuracy in the image of the world of nature.

Many followers unsuccessfully copied his style. The distinctive quality of the work of Jan Van Eyka was a difficult imitation of his work.

Its influence on the next generation of artists, in North and Southern Europe, it is impossible to overestimate. The whole evolution of Flemish artists of the 15th century was directly imprinting his style.

Among the works of Wang Eki, who have survived, the Great is the "Gentic Altar" - in the Cathedral of St. Bavon in Ghent, Belgium. This masterpiece was created by two brothers, Jan and Hubert, and completed in 1432. On the exterior panels showing the day of the bias, when Angel Gabriel visited Mary Mary, as well as the images of St. John the Baptist, John the Evangelist. The interior of the altar consists of "worship of the lamb", an outlining magnificent landscape, as well as the above pictures showing the god of the father near the Virgin, John the Baptist, angels playing music, Adam and Eve.

In all his life, Yang Van Egg created many magnificent portraits, which are famous thanks to crystal objectivity, graphics accuracy.

Portrait of Yana De Leu Annunciation Gent altar

Among his paintings: Portrait of an unknown man (1432), Portrait of a man in red turban (1436), Portrait of Yana de Liyow (1436) in Vienna, Portrait of a wife of Margarent Van Eyk (1439) in Brugge.

Wedding painting "Giovaani Arnolphin and his Bride" (1434, National Gallery of London) Along with the figures, shows an excellent interior.

In the biography of Wang Eyki, the artist's special interest always fell on the image of materials, as well as special quality of substances. Its unsurpassed technical believing was particularly well manifested in two religious work - "The Mother of the Chancellor Rollane" (1436) in the Louvre, the "Bogomater Canonika Van der Pale" (1436) in Brugge.

In the National Art Gallery of Washington, a picture of the "Annunciation" is presented, which is attributed to the hand of Wang Eyka.

It is believed that some of the incomplete paintings of Yana Van Eyka graduated from Petrus Kristus.

In the history of art, the "Portrait of Arnolphin Family" is one of the first pictures signed by the artist himself. "Here was Jan Van Eyk. 1434. So however, until the XV century it was not customary to sign their paintings.

Picture Jan Wang Eyka, Masters from Brugge, Flemish painter of the Epoch of the early Renaissance, - in which the hint is hidden. The picture is called the "Portrait of the Arnolphin Fau".

The picture simply shakes a huge number of details, which is quite interesting, because it is written only in 1434. And the prompt about how the author managed to make such a big step forward in the realistic image, serves as a mirror. And also the candlestick is incredibly complex and realistic.

Jan Van Eyck (Notherl. Jan Van Eyck, Ok. 1385 or 1390, Malek-1441 Brugge) - Flemish painter of early rebirth, Master of portrait, author more than one hundred compositions on religious plots. The younger brother of the artist and his teacher Hubert Wang Eyka (1370-1426).

The exact date of the birth of Jan Wang Enik is unknown. Born in the Northern Netherlands in the city of Maazyik. He studied from the elder brother Hubert, with whom he worked until 1426 began its activities in the Hague at the courtyard of the Netherlands Counts, first mentioned between 1422 and 1426 as "Master Yang" in the rank of cameras-Juncker at Count Johann III. It is also known that He had only 2 brothers: Senior Hubert, and Junior Lambert and Sister Margaret. From 1425, he is an artist and court duke of Burgundy Philip III of the Good, who highly appreciated him as an artist and generously paid his work. In 1427-1428 As part of the Ducal Embassy Yang Van Eyk went to Spain, then in Portugal. In 1427, he visited the tour, where he was adopted with the honorable local artists guild. Probably met with Robert Campen, or saw his work. He worked in Lille and Ghent, in 1431 acquired a house in Brugge and lived there until death.

Van Eki consider oil paints inventor, although in fact he only improved them. But it was after it that oil received universal recognition, oil technology was traditional for the Netherlands; In the XV century came to Germany and France, from there - to Italy

The largest and most famous work of Wang Eyka - the Genta Altar, begun, perhaps his brother Governor. Yang Van Eyk worked on him by order of the rich Gent Burger of Yodok Wadet for his family chapel in 1422-1432. This ambitious multi-tiered polyptypes from 24 paintings depicting 258 of human figures is located in the Cathedral of St. Bavon in Ghent.

Among the masterpieces Yana Van Eyka - "Madonna Chancellor Rollane", as well as a portrait of a merchant, representative of the banker house of Medici, Giovanni Arnolphin with his wife - the so-called "portrait of the Arnolphin couple."

Jan Van Ayke died in Brugge in July 1441 (the date of the funeral - July 9, 1441). In the epitaph of Wang Eyka is written: "It is resting to the glorious unusual virtues of John, in which love for painting was amazing; He wrote and breathable images of people, and earth with blooming herbs, and all the lively glorified with his art ... "

He had several students, among them - the most famous painter Petrus Christus later.

"According to general recognition, the most courageous discoveries, denoted by a fracture in artistic development (humanity), belong to the painter Jan Van Eyka (1385/90 - 1441). Its the greatest creation is a multicate altar (polyptypes) for the Cathedral in Ghent. "- E. Rombrich "History of Art".

So however, until the XV century it was not customary to sign their paintings.

In honor of Wang Eyka named Crater on Mercury and asteroid (9561) Wang Eyk, which was opened on August 19, 1987.

Depicts in the Belgian postage of 1944.

This is part of the Wikipedia article used under the CC-BY-SA license. Full text of the article here →

Van Eyck (Van Eyck) Yang (about 1390-1441), the Netherlands painter. One of the obstacles of the art of early rebirth in the Netherlands. "The most important artist of our century" - so called Jan Wang Eyka his younger contemporary, Italian humanist Bartolomeo Fazio. The same enthusiastic assessment gave a dutch painter and biographer of the Netherlands artists Karel Van Mandold: "The fact that neither Greeks or Romans, Neither to other nations was given to implement, despite all their efforts, it was possible to be the famous Jan Wang Eyka, born on the shores of the adorable Masa River, which can now challenge the palm of the championship in Arno, on and proudly, because on her shore, it rose such a shine, that even Italy, the country of art, was amazed by his brilliance. "The life and activities of the artist preserved very little documentary information. Jan Van Eyke was born in Maazyik between 1390 and 1400. In 1422, Van Eyk entered the service to John Bavarian, the ruler of Holland. , Zealand and Geagahu. For him, the artist performed the work for the palace in the Hague. From 1425 to 1429, he was a court artist of the Burgundy Duke Philip Kind in L Ille. The duke appreciated Yana as a smart, educated person, according to the duke, "not having equal in art and knowledge." Often Jan Van Eyk on the task of Philip Kind performed complex diplomatic instructions. The sections reported by the chroniclers of that time say about the artist as a versatile gifted person. Already mentioned Bartolomeo Fazio wrote in the "Book of the famous her husbands" that Yang with enthusiasm engaged in geometry, created a kind of geographical map. The artist's experiments in the field of oil paints technology talk about knowledge of chemistry. His paintings demonstrate a detailed acquaintance with the world of plants and colors. There is a lot of ambiguities in the creative biography of Yana. The main thing is the relationship of Yana with his elder brother Hubert Van Eyk, who he studied and came together with which a number of works. There are disputes about the individual pictures of the artist: about their content, painting technique. Metics of Yana and Hubert Wang Eykov Many must many of the artists of the Limburgs and Altar Master Melchior Brudellam, who worked at the Burgundy yard at the beginning of the 15th century in the style of Zion painting of the XIV century. Yang developed this mana, creating a new style on its basis, more realistic and individual, who heated a decisive turn in the altar painting of Northern Europe. It is likely that Yang began its activities from miniatures. Some researchers attribute to him a few of the best sheets ("funeral" and "the capture of Christ in custody", 1415-1417), the so-called Turin-Milan Character, performed for the Duke of Berrysky. At one of them, Saint Julian and Holy March, carrying Christ across the river. True images of various phenomena of reality were met in the Netherlands Miniature and to Van Eyka, but before no artist knew how to combine individual elements in a holistic image. Wang Eyka is attributed and the authorship of some early altars, like, for example, "Crucifix" in 1431, Wang Ayk settled in Brugge, where he became a court painter, as well as the artist of the city. And a year later, the artist completed his masterpiece - a Gent altar, a large polypty, consisting of 12 oak flaps. Work on the altar began his elder brother, but Hubert died in 1426, and Yang continued his business.

Madonna Chancellor Rollane 1435, Museum of Louvre, Paris. Madonna Chancellor Rollane (1435) is one of the best works of the master. "Barchant shine, paint shines with paints, and every furry of fur and each face wrinkle is attracted. As expressive, as significant features of the knee-free chancellor of Burgundy! What could be more magnificent his vests? It seems that you conjugate this gold and this pass, and the picture itself appears in front of you as a jewelry, as a majestic monument. No wonder at the Burgundy yard, such paintings were kept in the treasures next to gold caskets, chains with glittering miniatures and precious relics. Press in Madonna's hair - what can be softer in the world? In the crown, which an angel holds over her, - as it shines in the shadows! And behind the main figures and behind the thin colonnada - leaving the river and medieval city in bending, where Vanikovskaya amazing painting sparkles in each detail. "

" Madonna Rollane Chancellor, Details

Equally, the artist is interested in the person in all its unique personality, and the world around him. In his compositions, there are equal and form a harmonious unity. Portrait images, landscape, interior, still life. Extreme thoroughness and at the same time the generalization of painting detect the intrinsicness and beauty of each subject, which takes place in the work of Wang Eyka real weight and volume, characteristic surface texture. Details and integers are in organic interconnection: architectural elements, furnishings, blooming plants, luxurious fabrics, decorated with precious stones, as if embodying particles of infinite beauty of the universe: filled with light and air Panoramic landscape in "Madonna Role Chancellor" is perceived as a collective image Universe.

Portrait of couple Arnolphini 1434, National Gallery, London.Double "Portrait of Arnolphin Fours" (1434) Along with the Gent Altar - the most important work of Wang Eyka. According to plan, it has no analogues in the XV century. Italian merchant, representative of the banker house of Medici in Bruges, is depicted in the marriage rest with a young wife Jiwow Chenami.

Madonna with baby, 1433

Lucca Madonna , 1430, Standelev Institute of Arts, Frankfurt am Main

Madonna Canonik Van der Pale 1436, Art Gallery, Brugge

Stigmatization of Saint Francis 1429 This little picture is written in Spain in 1428-29.
There is a later copy (about 1450) in the gallery of Sabauda, \u200b\u200bTurin, Italy. At the Mount Alversa in 1224, Francis once, staying in prayer, the vision of the vision, which, according to Fome Chelanky, was a person similar to the ceraphim about six wings, His hands were open, and the legs stood, "forming the shape of the cross." Contemplating this, Francis discovered the signs of the wounds of Christ, who appeared on his body (on their hands, legs and on the chest) and remaining on it to his very death, in two years.

Madonna with Cartesian monk

Altar Virgin Mary1437.

The central panel of a small preschool image represents Madonna with a child in the church, the left panel depicts St. George and Donator (the one who ordered Triptych), the right panel - Sv Ekaterina. In the closed form on the sash triptych depicted an appeal.

Madonna with baby, 1439

Jan Van Eyk was also a wonderful innovator in the portrait area. He first replaced the cherry type of the belt, and also introduced a three-hard turn. He laid the beginning to the portrait method when the artist focuses on the guise of a person and sees a certain and unique person in it. An example is "Timofey" (1432), "Portrait of a man in the Red Hap" (1433), "Portrait of a wife, Margarita Van Eyk" (1439), "Portrait of Bodouen de Lannua".

Portrait of a man in Turban, 1433 (according to one of the versions - a self-portrait of the artist)

Portrait of a wife Margret Van Eyk, 1439

Portrait of Cardinal Albergati, 1432

Portrait of Bodouena de Lanoa, 1435

Timofey 1420.

Portrait of a man from Gorofano 1435

Portrait of Yana De Leuve 1436

Portrait of Giovanni Arnolphini 1435

Portrait of a jeweler (man with ring) 1430

Cvvavara 1437, wood, oil, 31 x 18 CMS Royal Museum of Fine Arts 1437, Antwerp

This work is the subject of long disputes of scientists who have not come to a single opinion whether this is a work of a complete pattern or an unplanned picture. A silver drawing is made with the finest brush along the primed chalkboard, (has a look of marble) inserted into the author's frame with the inscription: "John Wang Ayke did me in 1437." Behind the back of the beautiful Virgin sitting on a hill with a book and the palm branch of the martyr in their hands, there is a construction of a tower, which is its attribute, but trained by Van Eyk in the genre key with the image of the mass of labor episodes.

Study Jerome

Madonna in church 1422-1425

No later than 1426 was written " Madonna in church"- One of the early works of Wang Eyka. Like most of his works, the picture is like burning from the inside, giving birth a sense of elevated joy. Such an amazing effect of the inner glow was achieved at the expense of layer-by-layer oil paint on white gypsum primer, carefully polished and covered with varnish. Asymmetric composition, unusual for Van Eyk, is explained by the fact that this is the left wing of diptych. Another wing is lost, but copies of that time confirm it.

Annunciation1420.

Annunciation 1435.

On these two panels are represented Crucifixion"And" Scary court". It is assumed that the panels were the wings of Triptych, the central group of which is lost. However, on the topics of the pictures it was impossible to say whether he was intended to be initially like diptych or triptych. These two small pictures can be viewed for a long time and with interest.. Each item is written carefully and in detail. - from the Alpine landscape, the subtle body of Christ and feelings on the faces of people to the scenes of Hell and paradise inscriptions at the top of the panels - saying from the Bible.

Bra tYA Yang and Hubert Wang Ayke Gent altar in a rolled form with closed shutters

Wang Eyka for a long time considered the inventor of oil paints. However, in fact, he only improved them. Open with an artist, the recipe for making paints was so successful that soon oil painting was firmly established in the Dutch art, and subsequently spread throughout Europe, taking a dominant position in European painting and retaining it until the end of the XIX century.Although oil paints have been used already in the XIV century, but Van Eyk, in all likelihood, created a new mixture of paints, possibly tempera with oil, thanks to which reached the unprecedented dotol of light-base, as well as varnish, making a picture of impeperity and shine. One of the first, he mastered the plastic capacity of oil painting, using thin, translucent layers of paint, laid one on top of another (Flemish manner of a multilayer transparent letter).This mixture also allowed to soften and nuanxate colors. In the art of Van Eyka, the new technique served as an exceptionally thought-out composition, which allows us to convey the unity of space. The artist owned a promising image and, connecting it from the transmission of light, created a plastic effect, until then unattainable. The Eyk is considered one of the most significant artists of his time. He laid the beginning of a new vision of the world, the impact of which extends far beyond his era. The homwent died in Brugge in 1441. In the epitaph of Wang Eyka is written: "It is resting to the glorious unusual virtues of John, in which love for painting was amazing; He wrote and breathable images of people, and earth with blooming herbs, and all the lively glorified with his art ... "

In addition, the portrait, in the post chosen not the most famous works of the artist.

It's time to hit Jan Eica to Jan.

These are such inaccessible tops of talent and innovation, such a chumps that you do not even know which side for it to grasp.

Let's start with a biography.

The beginning of life is all as usual: we do not know any place or the exact date of birth. It is assumed that he was born in the period from 1385 to 1400, perhaps in the city of Mausaik or Limburg in the territory of the current Belgium. Rather, of course, in Maazyik. It is believed that the surname "Eyk" echoes the "Masseke", it is also known that his daughter Livayn soon after the father's death was in the monastery in Maazyik - apparently, relatives remained in the city, and the girl was given to raising the monastery in the hometown of the Father. Pomerego Gendar Brother Hubert, Yana had at least one more - Lambert, as well as the sister of Margarita. The artist is a little later than a bartolomew d "Eyk, most likely has no relation to the family of Eykov, or is a very far relative.

Wedding Philip is good and Isabella Portuguese. 1430.
Only here which of them is the groom with the bride, I won't be afraid!
161 x 117 cm, Versailles, France

History with Brother Hubert Dark and confusing. His name is literally a couple of times mentioned next to the name Yana, the exact information is very small, however, it is believed that the province was much older and taught Jan's skills in the painter. It is also assumed that both brothers worked on the Genta Altar - Hubert began work, but in 1426 he died, and his business had already finished already. True, it is known from the inscription on the flaps of the altar, and there is a suspicion that it is made much later than the period when the altar himself was created. Very different information in different books and other sources: In some, it is argued that in some works attributed to Jan Eica, the hand of another artist is clearly defined, in others, on the contrary, that allegedly detailed studies of recent years have proven the opposite.

Three Mary in the coffin of the Lord
It is believed that Hubert Van Eyk began this work in the interval between 1410 and 1420, but did not finish. It was completed in the 1440th one of the workshop Wang Eykov.

There is a version that Hubert was not so much an artist how many decorator, and with his brother they worked as a "family in a row." Other researchers believe that Hubert is just a single-fampot and a very medium artist actually. And some generally believe that no hubert existed at all, and all this is a hoax. I do not know which of the versions of Truthful, so I will leave the idea of \u200b\u200bthe idea of \u200b\u200bparticipation in the joint work of Hubert, and we will only talk about Yane. It must be said that the Belgians did not become particularly familiar with the latitude of their mental state, and put a monument to both brothers in Ghent. In gratitude for the famous altar.

Stigmatization of Saint Francis
29.5 x 33.7 cm
Sabwood Gallery, Turin
There is no accurate evidence that this is the work of Wang Eyka - style, it seems, it is also not peculiar to the emotionality of the characters. The researchers embarrass the Francis satellite, Luka - allegedly it is too affected, which Van Ekah had no good. I, however, it seems that the monk is simply sleeping - according to legend, while walking in the mountains of Luke, and in Francis, at this time "attacked" stigmatics.

Early work Ya has not survived. Do not believe "Wikipedia" - he, most likely, did not participate in the creation of illustrations for "Turino-Milan Character," in smart books they write that now most scientists rejected this hypothesis.

He began his career in 1422, becoming the court painter of the Count Dutch, Zealand and Genegut, Johann Third Bavarian. He lived in the Hague. He was at that time a relatively young, but, apparently, is already known as a skilled painter, after all, someone would not get to the court would not take. By that time, Jan had already had his workshop and disciples - it seems to me that in the light of this his years of birth is still closer to 1385-90, it is unlikely that it was 1400 year; Indeed, in this case, he should be a master with students at 22, and this is hardly possible - Rogir Van der Wayden, for example, only at the age of 26 he entered the disciples to Campen.

Portrait of a man in a blue headdress ("Portrait of a Jeweler")
1430-33
Brukental National Museum, Romania

It is known that Jan Van Eyk participated in the decoration of the Bainenhoff Palace, which belonged to the Count Dutch. It was at that time that his name was first mentioned in the documents - "Master Yang, Artist". His cartridge was a restless man, constantly climbed into some armed conflicts with their neighbors, not in vain it was called Johann ruthless. He died early (perhaps poisoned), at 23 (1425), and Van Eka had to look for a new job.

She was found almost immediately, since the talent of the artist has long noticed and appreciated the Duke of the Burgundy Philip Kind (he was an ally of the Dutch graph in some armed conflicts and probably knew about his gifted court painter). He invited Jan Wang Eycko to the court, the artist moved to Lille. It is safe to say that the relationship between the feudal and his court artist was not the usual relationship of servants and Mr., it was a real strong friendship, which lasted all his life Wang Eyka.

Timofey
1432, 33.5 x 19
National Gallery, London
It is assumed that this is a posthumous portrait of the composer Gilles Binshua - also served at the yard of the duke. Most likely, he is absolutely bald - neither hair nor eyebrows. Even eyelashes are supposed to completed at late restoration.

The duke not only trusted Janu very delicate diplomatic orders, such as mediation in marriage, for example, he was the godfather of his son. Often, Jan accompanied the cartridge in Pilgrim travel. A few years after the death of Eyka, when his daughter had to be placed in the monastery (for training, apparently), the duke actively worked for her and allocated the necessary funds for this.

Portrait of a man with a carnation
1435
40 x 31 cm
National Museum, Berlin

A document confirming the very high loyalty of Philip to the artist, this is his angry letter of 1435 to the urban treasurer of Lille, who tried to "knock" the amount he had to pay Van Eyka: "It is very sad for us, since we cannot call One other artist equal to us in tastes, and so sophisticated in matters of painting and sciences! ". It should be added that in the service of the Duke Yang Van Eyk received a fee for a fee, for the work done, and was "at a fixed rate", and quite high. This gave him complete creative freedom, so he carried out orders and other persons, and not only performed the "picturesque whims" of his cartridge.

Portrait of Bodoyna (or Bodunny?)) De Lannua
1435
26 x 20 National Museum, Berlin
Depicted Governor of Lille and the Knight of the Golden Runa, so do not see what kind of brutal

It must be said that the nickname "kind" did not mean the softness of the character of the duke, in English, his nickname sounds "Good" - "good", he was a good warrior and a good sovereign, but the temper just had an explosive and hot. And at the same time Van Eyk lasted at his courtyard, being in Favor, 16 years old, until his death. By the way, his widow Margaret Duke appointed a large lifelong content. Another interesting story about the Duke is his father, John Feafless, killed in 1419, Philip was at that time 23 years, this event was struck to the depths of the soul. He grieved for a long time and sincerely, then he recalled his father all his life and therefore at all portraits allegedly asked him to depict himself in black. I do not know how much this corresponds to the truth - almost all portraits of the dukes and the kings of the time they are dressed in black.

Philip III Good
Copy of Portrait Rogirah Van der Waiden

The interests of Eyka were not limited exclusively with painting, it seems that this was a real "Renaissance" man: he knew geometry well, had certain knowledge in chemistry, I was interested in Botanica, and also very successfully performed diplomatic instructions of his cartridge. It is known that Van Eyke simulated clothing styles and jewelry, and was engaged in what is now called "interior design." He also knew languages \u200b\u200b- this indirectly testifies that in inscriptions in their paintings, he uses Latin, as well as the Greek and Jewish alphabets. On his tombstone is depicted by the generic coat of arms - apparently, he was an outcomes from a small nobility, which allowed him to get a classic education, which other artists of the time could not afford. This, apparently, was that Jan took a special position at the yard of the Duke, one can say, made a career, which would never have managed to achieve an ordinary artisan.

Interestingly, Eyk was not the first Netherlands artist who served at the Burgundy yard. A few years before him, at the courtyard of Father Philip, the Third Good, Philip of the Second Bold, served another famous artist from the Netherlands - Melchior Brudlam (1328-1409). So the high mastery of the Netherlands was known and highly appreciated.

Estimated Portrait of Yana Wang Eyka
This engraving was created in 1572, 130 years after the death of the master.

A little about Yana's diplomatic service. He performed the role of the matchmaker, he was twice - once he had to visit the tour (where he met with local artists, including Campen) in 1427, the ambassadors of Isabella Spanish, Infanta came here, for negotiations on her marriage with a widden Duke Philipp . This time something was not charged, the wedding did not take place. It did not affect the attitude of the duke to Jan Van Eyku - apparently, in this situation the circumstances did not depend on the ambassador, and after a couple of years (1427-1428), Yang went to search for the bride for the Duke repeatedly - this time in Portugal. Here he stayed nine months. It was a very useful experience - Yang got the opportunity to admire the violent Southern Flora, which was reflected in the lumber and at his work: in some of his work ("Gent and Altar", for example) in the background we see not a dull Netherlands landscape, like most of his colleagues - Sotenses, and brown exotic vegetation, which is much more suitable for imitation of the paradise kushche.

Portuguese Voyage turned out to be more successful, marriage with a 33-year-old Isabella Portuguese was received, Yang wrote her portrait and brought Duke; Soon the wedding took place. Wedding fired of February 10, 1430 in Brugge, Van Eyke was the main organizer and decorator of the mass festival.

Isabella Portuguese.
Wang Eyka workshop, approx 1435

I didn't find the portrait of Isabella in the available sources, I later learned that he was not preserved. I hope, in the young years of Isabella looked better than on the famous portrait of Rogira Van der Waiden (she was 47-50 years old), otherwise the duke does not envy - Rogyr portrayed it far from his beautiful. Although, maybe she was a good man. On the other hand, the duke was not particularly worried - he had at least 17 extramarital children; Looks like he did not miss a single skirt!

Isabella Portugal
Rogir van der Wayden, approx. 1445.

From 1430 Van Eyk constantly lived with his family in Brugge. In general, his life geography is quite extensive, manned man in the light: It is known that he was in Ghent, Hague, Lille, Tourna, where communicated with Campen and his students (about 130 km from Bruges), and also went to Portugal as already It was said in Prague and in London.

He married it quite late - after forty years, in 1432. Margaret's maiden chosen to his wife, judging by the portrait - no grams of beauty, but much younger than Yana. She gave birth to his son and daughter, and indeed, unlike Kampena, Yang Van Eyk "is not noticed in the discrepable connections." Janu had to be broken between his craft and diplomatic activities in the service of the duke, so he was not foolish. His professional productivity was colossal for such painstaking filigree equipment - a lot of his work was preserved to the present day, and how much could die during the level of iconocruption, it remains only to guess. But he lived relatively few - about 55 years. Died, it seems, suddenly, from a steam disease - there are many sketches and unfinished work. The workshop after his death was headed by Brother Lamber.

Margaret Van Eic
1439
32.6 x 25.8 cm
Museum of Nargin, Bruges
Well ... so ... without wandering was a maestro

You need to say a few words about his technique.
It seems that now even a very superficially educated and unattended in art historian personnel already knows that the oil paint did not invented Wang Eyk, although for a long time the authorship of this invention was attributed to him.

Such information has spread and worried up to our time, thanks to the life of the artist, written in the 16th century by the Netherlands author Karlel Van Mandnder; We are talking about his work "The Book of Artists" (in it it is not only about Wang Eike, this is something like the book of Vazari only "on the northern manner"). The author did not bother on flowery expressions: "The fact that neither the Greeks nor the Romans nor other peoples were carried out, despite all their efforts, it was possible to be the famous Jan Wang Eyka, born on the shores of the Adorable Masa River, which can now dispute the palm of the championship Arno, on and proudly tiber, because on her shore, it rushed like that even Italy, a country of art, was amazed by his brilliance. "

Christ
1439

Mandera was not particularly deepened in the facts, and simply handed the Lavra pioneer to his ingenious compatriot, although most of the Netherlands, including Kampena School, also actively used this technique. In Italy, she was also known, although it was less common, there was no altar, but still a fresco painting, where the egg temperatures came more.

Madonna at Fontana ("Mary at the Source of Life")
19 x 12.2 - tiny at all!
Royal Museum of Fine Arts, Antwerp

The advantages of oil were important for work Wang Eyk - he worked with numerous translucent layers that helped to achieve the necessary depth and expressiveness of the image. Temperal pigments mixed with water and egg yolks were not transparent, the boundaries between the color spots were sharp and dry, it was more difficult to simulate lightness. Using the oil, Van Eyke has achieved the striking visual effects that were beyond anyone to him; This was its innovation. The oil had one drawback - it hurts quite a long time, work in multi-layered technique could be delayed for years. Yang experimented, mixing various types of oils and sequivans, and achieved fairly rapid drying, using a mixture of linen and walnut oils in a certain proportion.

Mimica somehow turned out once ...
(Fragment of the Gent Altar)

He never followed strictly laws of linear perspective and did not try to achieve a geometrically verified effect, like the Italian masters (in the sketches of their paintings, modern researchers are often found in the infrared rays the outlined list of perspectives) - he simply portrayed what he saw. And it turned out not bad.
The only thing that, in my opinion, Wang Eyka was not very good - this is an image of the facial expressions and emotions of their models.
But he is an unsurpassed Master of Light and Singer Details. Jewelry, folds of clothing, hair in the chapel, texture of the fabrics from him is shown with devilish accuracy.

Fragments of paintings showing the workshop of the texture of expensive fabrics

He worked on oak boards (most often - the Baltic Oak, from the territory of the current Poland), covered it with a very dense layer of white soil, obtained a smooth shiny surface. Then he caused a drawing, sometimes very detailed, then made a translucent submarine and started to apply one after another translucent oil layers. Paints in its paintings are almost fluoressed, the light walked as if from the depths of his work. The stunning game of lighting very accurately passed the textures of rich fabrics, for example. At the same time, Eyk learned a peculiar to transmit space, emphasizing his depth of various tricks. Erwin Panovsky very accurately expressed himself: Wang Ayke as if he looked into a microscope and a telescope at the same time.

Madonna Lucca (called so because for a long time was in Karlo Luigi's collixation, Duke Lucsky)
1436
65.5 x 49.5 cm
State Art Institute, Frankfurt
We have seen a similar symbolism from Campen - Lions on the throne of Solomon (throne of wisdom), a bottle of water and a pelvis for washing, like a symbol of purity, fruit on the windowsill - a symbol of the forbidden fetus

An abstract image of mythological characters in comparison with the realism of portraits of living people written from nature is striking. However, as in most of his compatriots-artists. Especially you pay attention to when you consider religious paintings on which Donators are present. Their faces Wang Eyk writes with merciless realism, while biblical heroes look idealized. Emotionality and affectation of alien heroes of his portraits, but we see in them deep inner concentration. The researchers are very figuratively say that Eyk first tried to open the window to the inner world of his heroes.

Saint Jerome at work
1441
20 x 12.5 cm
Institute of Arts, Detroit
This is one of the latest works of Eyka, and that is not finished. It can be viewed on it 1442, and Yang Wang Ayke died in 1441. The upper part of the picture was performed, probably launched Wang Eyk, the rest ended his student after the death of the master.

Please note that all his characters who have traditionally had to demonstrate asceticism and humility - Virgin Mary, Saints - to Wang Eyka dressed in luxurious clothes and are covered with precious stones. This once again reminds that Jan Van Eyk was a court artist, a daily luxury. So he depicted her so skillfully.

There is a version that some Flemish primitives for writing portraits used optics and simply refused the projection of the image obtained by lenses and mirrors, so they were as frighteningly accurate, while others written without triggered were rustic and even primitive.

Portrait of Cardinal Nikcolo Alberghatti. 1431.

Yang Van Eyk first "got under suspicion", because On one of his works, we even see such a mirror - convex ("Portrait of Arnolphin Four"). Honestly, I do not trust theories not reinforced with reliable facts, especially when you want to believe in true art and skill. I embarrassed me and that if it were true, a positive immemority would have to still sit in place long days and hours while the artist painstakingly redrawn the projection of his face. However, my confidence lay somewhat somewhat over time. Very detailed portrait of the portrait of Cardinal Nikcolo Alberghatti, who brought researchers for thought - the model posed only for these sketches, the oil portrait of Wang Eyk drew a memory! Perhaps the inventors of insane theories are right? Maybe Van Eyk a little "Mukhleval"?

Well, and the famous works ("Semis Arnolphini", "Genty Altar", "Madonna Chancellor Rollane", "Madonna Canonika Van der Palee" and others) somehow we will then discern.

Have a nice evening and good night!

Hubert and Jan Wang Eyki - the Netherlands painters of the first half of the XV century, the founders of the early Netherlands painting. Their creativity refers to the era of early rebirth, although it still remains medieval. Contemporaries considered the work of Jan Van Eyka "new art." But the fact of the existence of Yana Van Eyanka Brother Hubert has been questioned for a long time. It is suggested that it was not the brother of the famous artist at all. There is even a version that such a person did not exist. Nevertheless, a monument to two brothers Wang Eyk is installed in the city of Mausake.

Monument to the brothers Van Eyk in the city of Mausakeik

Hubert was the eldest brother Yana, as well as Margaret and Lambert (also artists). Currently, not a single work has been preserved, which can be said with confidence that this is the work of Hubert Wang Eyka.

It is assumed that the brothers were born in the city of Mazeik (i.e. Eyk on the Maas River) in the Northern Netherlands (now the Belgian province of Limburg) in the family of small nobles. The year of birth of Hubert - about 1370, Yang was born between 1385 and 1390 years. Nothing is known about the early years, but in the books of the 1560s it is mentioned that Yana taped painting his elder brother Hubert. What kind of education they received, it is also not clear, but judging by the reviews of contemporaries, Jan Wang Ayke was literaryly educated, reading the classics, engaged in studying geometry. And the artist's paintings are encountered in French, Latin, Greek, Flemish (native to Van Eyka) and Hebrew. Knowledge of languages, symbolism and image images, show a person with an inquisitive, sharp mind and good education.

Based on the fact that the name Hubert was not very common, researchers suggest that it was Hubert Wang Ayk that Magister Hubertus, Pictor (Master Hubert, an artist), who received a fee for the order for the Church of the Most Holy Virgin in Tongerene. He is probably Master Hubert, whose picture bequeathed Yang de Vish Van der Capella his daughter, the nuns of the Benedictine Monastery near Grevelingen. However, his name does not appear in the guild records and the testament does not include any child. It is assumed that around 1420 hubert settled in Gent. At about this time, the artist began working on his only surviving work - Altar for the Cathedral in Ghent, now known as the "Gent Altar". However, this work was completed by Jan Van Eyk only in 1432, six years after the death of Hubert. So it is difficult to say to what extent is the work of an older brother. The inscription on the frame found at the beginning of the XIX century in Latin, on the basis of which art historians and made important conclusions about the authors of the altar, read: "Hubert Wang Ayke, the greatest artist, that ever lived, began this work that Yang, his brother, began The second only in the skill, had happiness to continue "It is not known how reliable this entry .. Some researchers consider it as an ultra-shaped fraternal tribute.

Gent altar in a closed form

Gent altar in open

Another job, which is considered, began Hubert - this is "three Mary at the grave." But she was also finished by another artist.

"Three Mary at the grave"

In 1425, the city of Ghent ordered the artist two works, which were most likely not fulfilled. Hubert Wang Ayke died on September 18, 1426 and was buried in the Cathedral of St. Bavon next to Margaret's sister.

Yang's younger brother turned out to be more successful. It came to us a lot of work and information about his life.

There are documents that in 1420 he presented his Madonna's head in the Antwerp Guild, and in 1422 decorated Easter candle for Cathedral in Cambra.

In 1422, he became the court painter John Bavarian, Count Holland, Zeland and Gennagau. Until 1424, Jan Van Eyk participated in the design of the Count Palace in the Hague.

After the death of John, the Bavarian Master, who already enjoyed by a loud glory, left Holland and settled in Flanders. In the spring of 1425 in Brugge, he was admitted to the service for the Philip Dobro, Duke Burgundy, "with all the honors, benefits, freedoms, rights and benefits." In the same year, the artist moved to Lille.

At the court, Yang Van Eyk was at the same time a chamber and a court painter. Undoubtedly, he rotated in the crowd of court life. Relations with the duke, a big connoisseur of the arts, were the kindest. This can be judged by gifts and cash payments. The angiper's angilip is preserved from 1435 to the urban treasurer of Lille, who tried to reduce the amount he had to pay Van Eyka: "This is quite upsetting us, since we cannot call any other artist equal to us in tastes, and so sophisticated In matters of painting and sciences! "

Several times the artist performed secret diplomatic orders for Philip. So in 1427, Van Eyk traveled with a secret instruction to a tour, located ten miles from Lille.

The following year, December 19, 1428, Van Eyk, as a diplomat, together with the Ambassador of Philip, was serving in Lisbon with a task to prepare the soil for marriage between the Duke of Duke Philipp and Portuguese Princess Isabella. By fulfilling the mission entrusted to him, in Portugal, the artist wrote two portraits of the bride (not survived) and sent her Mr. along with the project of a marriage contract. So often then was done "for dating."
The mission was successfully completed, and on December 25, the next year Wang Eyke returned to Flanders together with the wedding tuple and Portuguese infanta.

Along with the court activity "Master Yang" performed orders of the church and urban merchants. The largest number of things that have reached the works were written during the service at the Duke of Burgundy.

One of the early, which came to us, "Madonna in the Church".

Jan Van Eyk "Madonna in the Church" (until 1426)

Yana Wang Eyanka for a long time considered the inventor of oil paints. This legend was told Georgeo Vazari a hundred years after the death of the famous Netherlands and was picked up by other writers and art historians. In fact, paints based on vegetable oils were known long before the XV century. Maybe Yang Van Eyk has somewhat improved their composition, no wonder he was considered not only an outstanding painter, but also by an alchemist. And he owned the technique of writing with oil paints virtuoso. The painters of all countries, according to Vazari, "were forced to glorify him and give him immortal praise, but at the same time he envied in every way ...".

The period of the highest creative maturity of Yana Van Eyka fell on the 1430s. By this time, the artist moved from Lille in Brugge, bought a house "with a stone facade", and in 1433 he married. In 1434, Duke Philip III became the godfather's father of the first child of the painter and, in connection with the birth of the Son, he presented to him as a gift six silver cups.

Jan Van Eyk "Portrait of Margaret's wife"

In 1432, Jan Van Eyke finished work on the above mentioned altar for the Cathedral in Ghent, and then work followed literally one after another.

Yang Van Eyk one of the first began to create portraits, seeking subject accuracy of the model of the model.

Yang Van Eyk "Portrait of a young man (Timofey)" (1432)

Yang Van Eyk "Portrait of a man in Red Turban" (1433)

Yang Van Eyk "Portrait of Cardinal Niccolo Albergati" (1431)

Yang Van Eyk "Portrait of a man with a carnation" (1435)

Among the masterpieces Jan Wang Eyanka "Madonna Chancellor Rollane" (about 1436), as well as a portrait of a merchant, representative of the banker house Medici, Giovanni Arnolphin with his wife; The so-called "portrait of the couple of Arnolphin" (1434).

Yang Van Eyk "Madonna Chancellor Rollane"

Jan Van Eyk "Portrait of Arnolphin Fours"

The artist died on July 9, 1441 in Brugge, the city, which became his own, and was buried in the fence of the Church of St. Donaciana, not far from his house. Next year, his brother Lambert turned to the duke with a request to reburial the ashes of the artist inside the church. Philipp not only gave such permission, but also prescribed the widow of the artist quite a decent life content.

Epitaph on the grave Yana Wang Eyka says:

"It rests the glorious unusual virtues of John,
In which love for painting was amazing.
He wrote and breathable images of people,
And earth with blooming herbs
And all the lively glorified with his art. "

The painting "Holy Jerome" was finished, most likely, the artist's friends after his death, although the main part was performed by Jan Van Eyk. Probably it is written in a letter lying on the table.

Yang Van Eyk "Saint Jerome" (1442)

Monument to the Van Eyk brothers in front of the Cathedral of St. Bavon, Gent.

J. Hyoving "Autumn Middle Ages"