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Jan Van Eyck, The Arnolfini Portrait,1434, oil on oak Panel, (32.4 in X23.6 in), National Gallery, London

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The Reflection of the Wealthy: A Merchant and His Wife

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The Reflection of the Wealthy: A Merchant and His Wife

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Keywords: Portrait, Wealthy, Interpretive, Clues, Texture, Realism, Giovanni Arnolfini, Giovanna Arnolfini, Mysterious, Symbolic, Religious, Translucent, Northern

What is the subject matter and iconography?

Source: Stokstad and Cothren, Art History, Ch. 19, Fifteenth Century Art In Northern Europe, "Introduction Page"

According to Stokstad and Cothren, "It was the wealth and connections he made as an Italian cloth merchant providing luxury fabrics to the Burgundian court that put him in the position to commission such a precious picture, in which both patron and painter are identified with conspicuous clarity". Jan Van Eyck was commissioned by many wealthy patrons and Merchants during this period to create portraits, including Giovanni Arnolfini.

In this portrait, Jan Van Eyck created a portrait of Giovanni Alfornia to represent not only their wealth, but his love of God. This portrait in particular is embedded with vibrant clothes, from the bedding down to Giovanni and his wife's, clothes. We notice that Giovannas dress is full, textured and vibrate portraying the luxury of her outfit. Van Eyck also embedded symbolisms in this portrait with objects relating to this couples faith such as Saint Margaret's talisman that can be viewed to the right of the mirror, or even the mirror itself that you can depict a reflection from.

What is the style?

Source: Dr. Elizabeth Gand, Diablo Valley College course, Baroque to 20th Century Art History (197 SP24), course module page, "Portraiture & Realism in 15th Century Northern Painting"

Jan Van Eyck is considered a Master of his time for his ability to portray realistic detail in his paintings. For instance, his ability to manipulate texture and natural light in his images, such as the glimmer in the mirror, showing a sort of realistic reflection, down to the texture in Giovanna's gown, emphasizing the luxury of the wool she's wearing. It seems that he tracks your eyes exactly where he wants them, by attracting you to want you can deduct as reality, and during the 15th century he was one of the first to do this.

Who was the original, historical audience for this artwork? How did the subject and style satisfy their desires? How did it fit their historical values and way of life.

Source: Dr. Elizabeth Gand, Diablo Valley College course, Baroque to 20th Century Art History (197 SP24), course module page, "Portraiture & Realism in 15th Century Northern Painting"

If we go back to the module, we can reference how Van Eyck took advantage of the Art Boom. According to Professor Elizabeth, "In the case of Van Eyck, his brilliance -- expressed in his powerful stare -- will gain him entry into the courts, where he will mingle with dukes and princes. He is our first example of an artist who will vault beyond social barriers through feats of genius". During this period, portraits were a hit to portray wealth and status of the wealthy. Dukes, princes, merchants, patrons, were on the face of wealth during this time period.Since many were fascinated by the realistic portrayal Van Eyck was able to gie them, they paid him top dollar to portray such wealth, and in Giovanni Arnolfini case, religion in portraits.

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Sandro Botticelli, Portrait of a Man with a Medal of Cosimo il Vecchio de’ Medici, c. 1474, tempera on panel, 57.5 x 44 cm (Gallerie degli Uffizi, Florence)

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The Texture of Botticelli: The Man and the Medal

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The Texture of Botticelli: The Man and the Medal

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KeyWords: Texture, Italian, Asymmetrical, Medal, Figure, Renassiance, Cosimo de' Medici, Realism

What is the subject matter and iconography?

Source: Dr. Rebecca Howard and Dr. Elizabeth Gand , Article " Botticelli, Portrait of a Man with a Medal of Cosimo il Vecchio de’ Medici" , Module "Article, Botticelli, Portrait of a Man with a Medal of Cosimo Vecchio de' Medic"

Though the man in the portrait may have not been given an identity himself, we are focused to what botecclii wanted our eyes to reconize first, the medal. According to Dr. Rebecca Howards," Well, we don’t know, despite much scholarly speculation over the years. We can discern that he is certainly intending to associate himself with one of the most powerful families in Italy at this time, the Medici. He does so by holding a large copy of a real, existing portrait medallion—an object that would have been made in multiples, circulated, traded, and collected by humanists and upper-class members of Renaissance society" , and with this we are given important information. The man holding the image has standing with the Medici, the most wealthy and influential family of the time due to the portrait medallion that he is holding portraying a Medici. We can interpret the fact that he may have love, if not respect for the Medici by holding the Medal over his heart, an organ representing importance. Then we notice the clothing of the man, to which we can decipher that he his a humanist and apart of high society (which would make sense, being tied to Medici).

We also do not want to miss the way that the Man in the portrait is looking at us. As if he is holding our attention on directing it the the Medallion, begging us to reach out and touch.

What is the Style?

Source: Dr. Rebecca Howard and Dr. Elizabeth Gand , Article " Botticelli, Portrait of a Man with a Medal of Cosimo il Vecchio de’ Medici" , Module "Article, Botticelli, Portrait of a Man with a Medal of Cosimo Vecchio de' Medic"

Since this painting is very intricate, I want to emphasize two parts of the this painting.

Starting with the image itself i want to reference want Dr.Howard mentions here when she states " Upon closer inspection, you’ll notice that this isn’t a two-dimensional portrait painting, but a multimedia work. The sitter is indeed painted quite naturalistically, so he looks three-dimensional, as though he could potentially exist in our world" due to the fact that its important to emphasize the fact that this main is ment to look as if he were not a painting. if we compare to Van Eycks " The Arnolfini Portrait" we can note that his painting of human, may look obvious, but not very specific and detailed as Botticelli's.

Referring to the Medal itself , itis to be known that this is not a painting but a mold built of Pastiglia ( a paste) and delicstley embedded in the picture to give it its texture while also holding the eyes of the audience and keep them guessing if it real or not.

Who was the original, historical audience for this artwork? How did the subject and style satisfy their desires? How did it fit their historical values and way of life?

Botticelli held the favor of Lorenzo Medici (the head of the Medici at the time) and was hired for many commisions due to this. This partucular paiting was creaed during the highest point of the Medici's influence as a way not only to portray the influence they had at the time, but to lay claim to the fact that he even had a connection to them in the first place.

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portrait of a man with a medal botticelli

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Leonardo da Vinci, Portrait of Lisa Gherardini (Mona Lisa), c. 1503–05, oil on panel, 30-1/4″ x 21″ (Musée du Louvre)

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The Infamous Smile: The Women of Mystery 

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The Infamous Smile: The Women of Mystery 

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Keywords: Smirk, Hands, Color, Luxury, abnormal, eyes, face, smirk, Leonardo Da Vinci, Lisa

What is the Subject matter and iconography?

Source: Stokstad and Cothren, Art History, Ch. 21, Seventeenth Century Art in Europe, "Introduction Paragraph"

This painting is abnormal in many ways during this centry but Stokstad and Cothern sum it up well with the statement: "This was an unusual portrait for its time. Leonardo abandoned the long-standing Italian tradition of painting wealthy wives in profile view, wearing the sumptuous clothing and jewelry that signified their status and their husbands’ wealth" causing Leonardo to proclaim individuality and popularity as an artist.

The Mona Lisa, was a portrait of Lisa Gherardini, the wife of a Florentine merchant Francesco del Giocondo. It seems that Da Vinci wanted to portray Lisa as approachable verus distant with her relaxed posture and realaxed smile. With her emotionless expression, it serves a sheild, hiding whatever thoughts she's having, while also reminding her views that she's everything

What is the Style?

Source: Stokstad and Cothren, Art History, Ch. 21, Seventeenth Century Art in Europe, "Introduction Paragraph"

Leonardo was best known for his renaissance paintings, especially with the the technique he was most famous for: Sfumato. Sfumato is the effect of shading colors into each other to create a shady, definless form, giving the Mona Lisa the glowy, filtered effect. Stokastad and Cothern put it best when theu state, "Yet in creating a painted illusion, Leonardo considered color to be secondary to the depiction of sculptural volume, which he achieved through his virtuosity in sfumato. He also unified his compositions by covering them with a thin, lightly tinted varnish, which enhanced the overall smoky haze" which is also a reason why Leonardo prefered to paint during dusk to preform this technique properly.

Who was the original, historical audience for this artwork? How did the subject and style satisfy their desires? How did it fit their historical values and way of life?

Source: Stokstad and Cothren, Art History, Ch. 21, Seventeenth Century Art in Europe, "Introduction Paragraph"

According to Stokstad and Cothren: "Although there is lingering uncertainty, most art historians agree with the sixteenth-century Italian biographer Giorgio Vasari, who claimed that the Mona Lisa portrays Lisa di Antonio Maria Gherardini, the wife of Florentine merchant Francesco del Giocondo", to which this painting was meant to be a portrait to this couple,though interestingly enough leonardo never gave the cominsenniors the portrait. It took three years to finish it and post his death, was sold to Louis XIV to which he hung in his palace.

Unfortontley the comminsaniors were not to able to satisy their desires but instead was able to hold relevence for years to come.

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Quentin Matsys, The Money changer and His wife, 1514, Oil Paint, Abu Dhabi, 27.8 in × 26 in

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The wealth of marriage: The Money Man  and His wife

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The wealth of marriage: The Money Man  and His wife

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Keywords: Wealth, Money, Marriage, Oil, Focus, artifacts, reflection, Gold, literature, weight

What is the subject matter and iconography?

Source:  Dr. Elizabeth Gand, Diablo Valley College course, Baroque to 20th Century Art History (197 SP24), course module page, "Landscape, Portraiture, the Nude, and Genre Painting -- with a Note on the Word "Genre"

This particular painting painted by Quentin Massys, to portray the population that was in the middle class of the time, who became important art patrons during the 1400's, According to Professor Elizabeth this particular piece "refers to paintings of everyday people doing everyday things" . For instance, we see this couple, that looks to be weighing coins, detecting the weight, which may have been a way to value the amount at the time (hence money man) and his wife who looks to be learning from him by the way she is huddled near him, while also reading what looks to be a religious text, due to imagery of what looks to be the Virgin Mary.

What is the style?

Source: Stokstad and Cothren, Art History, Ch. 23, Seventeenth Century Art in Europe, "Baroque"

Matsys, with this painting wanted to portray realism, in a way where he wanted to capture everyday people doing everyday things. That particular portraiture is called genre painting. Stokstad and Cothren put it well when they mentioned: "Many seventeenth-century artists sought lifelike depiction of their world in portraiture, genre paintings (scenes from everyday life), still life, and religious scenes enacted by ordinary people in ordinary settings" which we can see here by the way the Money Changer is Value the coins, while his wife looks to be viewing a religious text. Hence ordinary people, doing ordinary things while enacting religious scenes.

Based on this we can compare this painting to Van Eycks "The Arnolfini portrait, by the way, similarly to Van Eyck, Matsys portrays religious symbols (what looks to be a bible) similarly to Van Eycks prayer beads, or Saint Margarets statue.

Who was the original, historical audience for this artwork? How did the subject and style satisfy their desires? How did it fit their historical values and way of life

Source:  Dr. Elizabeth Gand, Diablo Valley College course, Baroque to 20th Century Art History (197 SP24), course module page, "Landscape, Portraiture, the Nude, and Genre Painting -- with a Note on the Word "Genre"

Surprisingly enough the some genre painting were not intended for the audience it portrays, but more for the aristocrats who were above them. For instance, professor Elizabeth portrays a similar painting in the same genre by the name of "The Harvester" painted by Pieter Bruegel and states "T hey are not the intended audience, though. The painter, Pieter Bruegel, made it for a wealthy merchant named Nicolaes Jonghelinck.  Socioeconomic class remained an important factor in the production and reception of art. Portraits tended to celebrate the ultra-elites -- kings and queens, diplomats and aristocrats. The honor of a splendid likeness still went primarily to those who enjoyed immense power and privilege", so even these painting were meant to portray the reality for everyday people, they were meant to be viewed by the the rich for amusement.

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Albrecht Durer, Self portrait at the age of twenty eight, 1500, oil on Panel, 2′ 2″ x 1′ 7″, Alte Pinakothek Munich, Germany

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The Final Chapter: A Man and His Portrait

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The Final Chapter: A Man and His Portrait

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Keywords: Stare, Man, Fur, Piercing, Light, Portrait, Durer, Luxury, Clean, Curls, Hair

What is the subject matter and iconography?

Source:  Stokstad and Cothren, Art History, Ch. 22, Seventeenth Century Art in Europe, "Introduction Paragraph"

Exactly Like its name, this painting was a Self portrait, painted by Durer when he was 28 years old. According to Stokstad and Cothren," Self-portraits appear with some frequency during the Middle Ages ; they truly blossom during the Renaissance", and with this in mind he created this portrait in mind with "... iconic images of Christ as Salvator Mundi (Savior of the World) that were very popular in northern Europe".

Durer did not just want to paint himself as a sign he existed, but as a man painted himself as close to Christ as he can. He even states himself,"The more we know, the more we resemble the likeness of Christ who truly knows all things”, claiming to, because of his knowledge, resemble Christ himself.

His posture in this painting , similarly to Da Vinci's "The Mona Lisa" hand posture was odd for its time. THen moving to the detail of his hair, according to Stokstad and Cothren, "Dürer even alters the natural color of his own hair to align the image more closely with contemporary notions of Christ’s physical appearance".

The symbolism, of his posture, details of his hair can arguably be compared to Van Eyck's religious symbolism, in the depiction of repeating religion, as not to be obvious but nevertheless present.

The Realism that Duerr puts into depicting himself, is much like " Portrait of a Man with a Medal of Cosimo il Vecchio de’ Medici" painted by Botticelli. Both Men were able to properly bring life into the painting, and make you feel like these Men were able to come to life and hop wright off the Canvas and view these images with you.

The Reality that Durer painting himself as was a real image, and was not not meant to show off luxury. Much like "The Money changer and His wife" by Matsys, these images were meant to portray reality, that was not made up, not dressed up, but everyday people.

What is the style?

Source: Films on Demand, "Dürer: Great Artists (Series 1)", Timestamp: 12:59

Duerer was best known for his mastery for his mastery in printing during his time, but he was also known for his extravagant self portraits. His "Self portrait at the age of twenty eight" was actually one of three Self portraits he created of himself. According to the video "Durer: Great Artist series, "And what we see is Durer at the age of 28 identifying himself with Christ. This is almost a self portrait as Christ. Now, he's wearing a fashionable fur coat, and so he'd proclaiming his own status, his own success. He's also proclaiming his own technique and talent", so he was not only trying to portray himself as Jesus like, with the astounding similarities, down to the painting of his face, hair, and gaze, but also as luxurious and experienced due to the extravagance of his fur coat.

Who was the original, historical audience for this artwork? How did the subject and style satisfy their desires? How did it fit their historical values and way of life

Source: Films on Demand, "Dürer: Great Artists (Series 1)", Timestamp: 12:59

Now according to the Documentary, they state: "And this work would have been used as a way of selling himself, and his work, and his skills to potential customers", so not only was Durer painting himself as a reflection of Jesus, or even to represent luxury, but he was also showing of his abilities to future commissioner, which was a very strong move. With a painting like this he was able to build trust with his clientele, as if saying 'Look how I portrayed myself, image how I can portray you' which would appeal to many wealthy clientele who valued luxurious representation.