Smarthistory – Jan van Eyck, The Arnolfini Portrait

The Arnolfini Portrait (1434) By Jan van Eyck The National Gallery, London At first glance, it’s a wedding. A man and a woman, hand in hand beneath a golden chandelier — an image of unity and devotion. But Van Eyck’s world never paints only what the eye can see. Look closer. Only one candle burns above the man’s head — her side stands dark. On the convex mirror behind them, the story deepens: at the center, the couple stands together, but the scenes surrounding the frame show Christ twice — aliv