Background Info

   

Johannes Van Eyck's birth record was lost, but he was believed to be born before 1395 in the easter province of Netherlands Limburg. He had one older brother, whose name was Hubert. Not much is known about Jan Van Eyck's early life, but Hubert is thought to be much older than Johannes.

    Work and Accomplishments

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He worked in John Bavaria's court from 1422-1424, when John Bavaria died. Later, he served Philip the Good of Burgundy,  whom he not only painted for, but went on missions of trust for him. Van Eyck also painted for private clients who paid him well. Jan Van Eyck Mastered oil painting, but did NOT create it.He WAS credited for the development of a stable varnish that dried at a constant rate. The stable varnish was created with linseed and nut oils, and combined with resins.     He continued the Ghent Altarpiece, even though he and his brother had started on it together. (Hubert had died.). The masterworked  Ghent Altarpiece survives to this day. He mostly painted religious subjects and portraits during his career. He had no paintings of himself, but his portrait, Man in a Red Turban was thought to be a self-portrait. To perfect every little detail in his paintings, he added layers of glazed oil.

    

    How Jan Affected the Renaissance

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Jan was an influential painter during the Northern Renaissance. His use of oil painting popularized the subject, and more painters tried that technique. Creating layers of oil helped depict people more realistically, and others began to paint more portraits with this technique. He had no pupils, so his unique style was lost forever.

 

   Works of Art

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Jan Van Eyck's most famous works were: The Ghent Altarpiece and Man in the Red Turban. Jan created many portraits and madonnas, but he never used watercolors, and he never sculpted. He is also known for creating  Giovanni Arnolfini and his bride, a basis for many full portrait paintings.