Best Known Paintings by Jan Van Eyck

Renaissance artist Jan Van Eyck lived in Bruges, Belgium, and was among the best painters of early Northern Renaissance art. His paintings are among the best examples of Netherlandish painting. Between the years 1432 and 1439, he created approximately 20 paintings that are still in existence.

The Arnolfini Portrait is one of the most famous married couple portraits in history. It was done as an oil painting and completed in 1434. The painting was created on a hardwood panel, which was a popular medium at that time. The couple depicted are wealthy Italian merchants. The man is holding his expectant wife’s hand, looking at her fondly. Eyck’s skillful layering of the colors and tones draws the viewers into the depths of the painting.

The Annunciation was created in oil on a panel but at some time put on canvas. It was a very detailed and complex artwork.

The Ghent Altarpiece was created by Hubert and Jan Van Eyck and became one of the most famous paintings from the Dutch region. Each panel depicts a major character or event from the Christian Old Testament or New Testament Bible. The panels fold outward and are assembled in a variety of patterns, with two different layouts, aligned vertically. Jan van Eyck created several other religious artworks with his older brother, but none received the same acclaim that this artwork did.

Lucca Madonna is an oil painting completed in 1437. It depicts the Virgin Mary on a wooden throne nursing the Christ baby. The red covering gives a very dark painting some brightness. The carpeting on the floor has an intricate design.

Madonna of Chancellor Rolin is an oil on canvas completed in 1435. (pictured above) On the left side of the portrait is Nicolas Rolin, the chancellor of the Duchy of Burgundy. He commissioned this artwork for his parish church, Notre Dame du Chastel, in Autun, France. When the church was destroyed by a fire in 1793, the portrait was brought to Autun Cathedral and later to the Louvre in 1805. The painting depicts the two figures sitting by a window with the Christ baby on Madonna’s lap. Everything has been captured in intricate detail.

Portrait of a Man is an oil on canvas created in 1433. The painting is also referred to as Portrait of a Man with a Turban. The man depicted has a distinct and direct gaze, and some thought this might be a self-portrait of the artist. Supposedly the artist painted his portrait to keep at his studio to show prospective customers an example of his artwork.

Portrait of a Man with a Blue Chaperon is a small portrait created as an oil on panel. Titles provided by various art historians and publications since then are typically more descriptive of the color or form of the headgear, despite the ring being regarded more recently as a mark of betrothal.

Portrait of Margaret van Eyck is a portrait created as an oil on wood of the artist’s wife. It was done in 1439. The painting hung in the Bruges Chapel of the Guild of Painters until the early 18th century.

The Virgin and Child with Canon van der Paele is a large oil-on-oak-panel artwork. The painting was commissioned by Joris van der Paele. In the artwork, patron saints appear to Paele. The Virgin Mary sits on a throne with the Christ child in her lap. They are in the center of the semicircular chamber symbolizing a church’s sanctuary. She is flanked by Saint Donatian on the right and on the left by Saint George, the patron saint of the giver.