Analysis Of Jan Van Eyck's The Arnolifini Wedding Portrait

The Arnolifini Wedding Portrait (1434, oil on wood, 82.2 cm x 60 cm, National Gallery, London) by Jan Van Eyck is one of the most extraordinary and mysterious paintings in art history. The complexity and rich detail makes it perplexing to art historians who have never been able to establish the true meaning behind the portrait. The most notable opinion is that of Erwin Panofsky, who argues that the Arnolfini was a marriage ceremony and was witnessed by the painter, shown with his reflection in the mirror. In the essay, The Arnolifini double portrait: A simple solution, author Margaret Koster attempts to offer a simpler explanation through evidence she has gathered, and supports her theory with historical references. Koster’s opinion is that the Arnolfini is a posthumous representation of Costanza, the only wife of Giovanni de Nicolao, whom she believes to be the man in the painting. She further supports her opinion by taking a closer look at the iconology and hidden messages, which she believes allude to Constanza being deceased in the portrait. This paper will examine if Koster has effectively constructed a convincing argument that the Arnolfini is, in …show more content…
Panofsky’s argument looks at two early accounts of the picture, first in 1568 when Marcus van Vaernewyck described the painting of a man and women married by faith. Then in 1604, Karel van Mander may have confused the issue more, drawing on opinions from Van Vaernewijk about the right hands being clasped together. Panofsky used this information to support his theory that the misunderstandings were the result of poor Latin. However, Koster points out that that term, fides levata that Panofsky used to describe the raised hand, while convincing, was never a real Latin