Jan van Eyck

Lore & Background

Little is documented of van Eyck's early life. The first extant record places him at the court of John of Bavaria in The Hague between 1422 and 1424, already a master painter with workshop assistants. After John's death in 1425, he became court painter to Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, working in Lille before moving to Bruges in 1429. He was highly regarded by Philip and undertook diplomatic missions, including a 1428 journey to Lisbon to discuss a marriage contract between the duke and Isabella of Portugal.

Van Eyck painted both secular and religious subjects, including altarpieces, diptychs, triptychs, polyptychs, and commissioned portraits. About 20 surviving paintings are confidently attributed to him, along with the Ghent Altarpiece and illuminated miniatures of the Turin-Milan Hours, all dated between 1432 and 1439. Ten works are signed with his motto 'ALS ICH KAN' (As I (Eyck) can), a pun on his name, typically painted in Greek characters.

His early work shows influence from the International Gothic style, which he soon eclipsed through greater emphasis on naturalism and realism. He achieved a new level of virtuosity through developments in the use of oil paint. His style and techniques profoundly altered the development of the Early Netherlandish school. He died on 9 July 1441 in Bruges and was buried in the graveyard of the Church of St Donatian.

Reader's Guide

Jan van Eyck's significance lies in his revolutionary approach to oil painting and his role in shaping early Netherlandish art. Though the myth that he invented oil painting—perpetuated by Vasari—is now considered an oversimplification, his technical innovations in handling and manipulating oil paint allowed a new level of naturalism and realism. His works, such as the Ghent Altarpiece (completed in 1432 with his brother Hubert), set a standard for detail and luminosity. Van Eyck's court salary from Philip the Good gave him artistic freedom, and his diplomatic missions reflect his high status. His motto 'ALS ICH KAN' appears on several works, marking one of the earliest distinctive signatures in art history. His legacy endured; his reputation never diminished, and his methods were heavily copied. After his death, his workshop was run by his brother Lambert, and his widow Margaret received a pension from the city of Bruges.

Did You Know?

• Van Eyck's motto 'ALS ICH KAN' is a pun on his name, typically painted in Greek characters.
• He was dispatched to Lisbon in 1428 to discuss a possible marriage contract between Philip the Good and Isabella of Portugal.
• About 20 surviving paintings are confidently attributed to him, all dated between 1432 and 1439.
• He was buried in the graveyard of the Church of St Donatian in Bruges; his body was later exhumed and placed inside the church.

Notable Quotes (Wikiquote)

"Jan van Eyck (c. 1385 – 9 July 1441) was a Flemish painter, one of the first artists to explore oil paint and one of the first to use the 3/4 pose." — Jan van Eyck "The inscription on the frame of Man in the Red Turban." — Jan van Eyck