Jan van Eyck
Rise to Fame
Jan Van Eyck's birth and death is unknown, but is believed to be born before 1395-1441. He was an early Netherlandish painter, active for a year in Lillies and the moved to Bruges , and he was considered one of the best Northern European painters of the 15th century. Jan had become famous by going on several missions on behalf of the Duke Philip, and worked on several projects (which may have entailed more than painting).With the exception of two portraits of Isabella of Portugal, which van Eyck painted on Philip's (the Duke's) to seek her hand, the reason for the paintings existing and being painted are unknown. AS a painter and "valet de chambre" (or appointed royal helper) of the Duke he was paid very well, his salary alone made him stand out among other Netherlandish painters. A sign that Van Eyck's art and person were held as high quality is a document from 1435 in which the Duke scolded his treasurers for not paying the Jan his salary, arguing that Van Eyck would leave and that he would nowhere be able to find his equal in his "art and science." (Margaret Van Eyck, His wife)
BiographyJan van Eyck was born circa 1395. In 1425, he was employed under the service of Duke Philip, the Good of Burgundy. In 1432, van Eyck painted "Adoration of the Lamb," the altarpiece for the Church of St. Bavon, Ghent. In 1434, he created another masterpiece, "Arnolfini Wedding." Throughout his career, van Eyck used oil painting in his portraits and panel paintings. He died on July 9, 1441 in Bruges, Netherlands. He was buried in there in the Church of St. Donation.
Technique
He is believed to be the inventor of the oil-glazing technique, which replaced the earlier egg-tempera method. In the early years of the Renaissance, the artist generally began with a a black and white drawing using egg tempera on a wood panel, and then layers of oil-glazes were painted on top of it. This allowed for rich details and luminous colors. Whether or not Van Eyck was actually the first person to use this new medium may not be as important to the achievements of his work, for he was truly a master of art.
Famous Paintings
There is a common misconception that Jan had invented oil painting, but he really had only perfected the technique. Some of his major and famous paintings are:
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(top; From left to right) The Virgin of Chancellor Rollin (made 1434), Singing angles (made 1429-1427), Aronlfini Marriage Portrait (made 1434)
Bottom: The Lamb of God, The Ghent Altarpiece (made 1432)