van Eyck

Jan van Eyck (c. 1390-1441) was a master of the art of realistic representation and paved the way for later realistic painters. His most famous painting, the Arnolfini Portrait, one of the most renowned in art history, is a typical example of van Eyck's intricate details and a highly symbolic iconography that continues to make the image a mystery today. Are we seeing an innocent depiction of a marriage vow, as the first glance might suggest, or perhaps a revenant from the afterlife asking for redemption? The painting invites the viewer to follow the trail with their own eyes and delve deeply into the image.

Van Eyck's naturalistic representations encompassed both secular and religious themes, seamlessly moving between the real everyday life of people in the 15th century and heavenly backdrops. He was said to have brought the sacred into the home. Additionally, van Eyck was credited with one of the most significant achievements in art history: According to Vasari's biographies, the artist invented oil painting.

The introduction from TASCHEN's Small Series documents the life and work of van Eyck, showcasing altarpieces, saints' images, and private commissioned portraits. Van Eyck was one of the first to establish the portrait as an autonomous genre. A dedicated chapter focuses on the Ghent Altarpiece, van Eyck's most extensive, versatile, and complex work. The newly taken photographs of the restored panels represent a small revolution. They allow for a new perspective, and the many details enable a redefinition of the working processes.

About the series: Since its first publication in 1985, the Basic Art Series has become the best-selling art book series of all time. Each title in TASCHEN's Small Series - Art contains a detailed description.