The Arnolfini Portrait
- Artist: Jan van Eyck
- Date: 1434
- Medium: oil on wood
- Museum: The National Gallery
- Collection record: The National Gallery website
Listen to the free audio guide
About this artwork
This is the Arnolfini Portrait by Jan van Eyck. Painted in 1434, it's an oil on wood painting that showcases exceptional realism and attention to detail. The scene depicts a couple, likely Giovanni di Nicolao di Arnolfini and his wife, in their reception room. The painting is full of symbols of wealth and status, from the expensive furniture to the luxurious fabrics.
Notice how every object has been carefully chosen to convey the couple's social standing without being too ostentatious. Even the oranges on the floor indicate a level of affluence that was rare at the time.
Take a closer look at the mirror on the back wall - it reflects two men entering the room, one of whom raises his arm in greeting. Some art historians believe these figures might be van Eyck himself and his servant arriving for a visit.
The couple's attire is also noteworthy, reflecting their wealth and fashion sense. The woman's green wool overdress, for instance, is trimmed with white fur, possibly ermine or squirrel belly.
Van Eyck's technique was revolutionary for its time. He used infrared reflectography to reveal the underdrawing process, which shows that he made significant changes to the couple's faces and bodies during the painting's development.
See it in person
The Arnolfini Portrait hangs in The National Gallery on Trafalgar Square, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
