Recently, the Ghent Museum (MSK) in Belgium held an art exhibition called "Van Eyck: Optical Revolution" to pay tribute to this great Dutch artist and a key figure in the formation of oil painting. This will be the largest and most comprehensive exhibition ever about the mysterious "Father of Oil Painting" Jan van Eyck (1385- 144 1). At the same time, the Ghent altar painting created by the Van Eyck brothers was lent out for the first time.
▲ The picture comes from the Internet.
You know, countless museums are vying for the first place, just to have a painting by Jan Van Eyck. His works are as precious as those of artists such as Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. These ancient treasures are so fragile that these collection agencies never lend them in peacetime. Want to see it? Help yourself!
▲ The fountain of Notre Dame by Jan Van Ike c. 1439, 19x 12cm, Royal Museum in Antwerp, Belgium, with pictures from the Internet.
However, for the first time, this exhibition borrowed works from 60 art institutions around the world, including the Vatican Museum, the National Prado Museum in Madrid, the National Art Gallery in Washington and many other world-class museums. Curator John de Smet also said that this may be a "once-in-a-lifetime art feast".
▲ portrait of baudouin de lannoy c. 1435 by Jan van eyck, Berlin national museum, with pictures from the internet.
Then the question is, what is the origin of this world-famous painting hall figure? Why does he occupy such an important position in the history of art? Bian Xiao will come today!
The main founder of the Nederland school of painting
1385, Jan van eyck was born in a historical area called Holland, in Massek, near Maastricht, the Netherlands. Although most people have only heard of Florence, which is closer to the south, during the Renaissance, the Netherlands, located in the northern Alps, was also a very developed region in Europe and made brilliant achievements in the field of culture and art.
▲ Map of the Netherlands in the late Middle Ages, with pictures from the Internet.
/kloc-in the 0/5th century, a special school of painting-the Netherlands School of Painting appeared in this land. Most artists of the Nederland School retained the painting style of medieval Gothic art.. They like to create altar paintings, miniature paintings and woodcuts, and their works have a very strong religious flavor. The general style is serious and quiet. Jan Van Ike, our hero today, is one of the founders of the Netherlands School of Painting.
▲ robert campin's "Santa Veronica" c. 1444, the picture comes from the Internet.
Jan van Eyck has always been a mysterious figure, and we can only know him through 20 works and some fragmentary living materials. During 1422, he became a court painter in Jean sans Peur, responsible for some portrait customization and architectural decoration. At this time, he was already a master painter in The Hague.
▲ The picture of Jean sans Peur comes from the Internet.
After the death of Count John, Jan Van Eyck was hired as a court painter in Philippe III le Bon, duke of burgundy on 1425. The count admired him very much, and later he was assigned to Portugal and other places as a special envoy for some confidential tasks.
▲ Philippe III le Bon, duke of burgundy, c. 1450, image from the Internet.
However, in the Renaissance, when great masters came forth in large numbers, such a resume still seemed unattractive. How did Yang Van Eyck counterattack and become a master who influenced the development direction of the whole western art? Bian Xiao continues to squat ~
Known as "the father of oil painting"
Many artists are famous for their artistic history. Why is Jan Van Eyck called "the father of oil painting"? To understand this problem, we must first understand what oil painting is.
Oil painting Oil painting, as its name implies, is painted with the medium of "oil". This kind of "oil" is the key whether it is the mineral pigment used by people in the early days or the tin can pigment that became popular after19th century.
▲ Giotto mourns Christ C. 1303- 1306, 183x 198cm, Rovini Chapel, Dovas, Pa, with pictures from the Internet.
From ancient Greece to the early Renaissance, there were no oil paintings. At that time, the murals created by European artists were mainly egg paintings. Egg-colored painting is a very old painting method. Painters mix pigments with egg yolk or egg white when painting. The skills of egg color blending and painting are very complicated, and there are many "secret recipes" for blending. Almost every artist has his own unique formula.
▲ Notre Dame de Fra Angelico newspaper C. 1426, 194x 194cm, Prado Museum, Madrid, with pictures from the Internet.
Different formulas and usage methods can show different picture effects. At that time, artists were as keen as scientists to try new painting methods, and the results were mixed. Many paintings fall off, fade and fade within a few years after completion.
▲ Da Vinci's Last Supper, C.1494-1498,420x910cm, Gratitude Church in Santa Maria, Milan, with pictures from the Internet.
In order to solve these problems, Yang Van Eyck thought of mixing mineral pigment powder with castor oil, and finally realized this great transformation. The biggest advantage of mixing the pigment with castor oil is that the pigment will not dry up quickly in the oil, so that the painter has more room for expression when painting and can refine the details of the picture. Pigments are easier to be mixed and colored by oil, and the color saturation is greatly improved.
▲ The picture comes from the Internet.
For example, Jan Van Eyck's masterpiece "The Portrait of Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Fini" is a work drawn by "new painting method". Blue, green, red and other colors open the eyes and have a strong visual impact. People's clothes, overhead chandeliers, slippers on the ground, fluff on the dog and so on. , are described very delicately, very textured.
▲ Portrait of Mr. and Mrs. Yang Van Ike Anofini C.182x59.5cm, National Gallery of Britain, with pictures from the Internet.
▲ Yang Van Eyck's Portrait of Mr. and Mrs. Anofini c. 1434, 82x59.5cm, National Gallery of Britain, with pictures from the Internet.
The most amazing thing about this painting is the mystery hidden on the background wall. Jan van eyck painted a mirror with a strange shape. Each small circle in the outer frame depicts the content of Jesus' crucifixion. At the top of the mirror is the artist's signature: "Jan Van Eyck was here". Looking at the image in the mirror carefully, the artist actually painted himself and the Arnold Fini couple! The man in blue in the middle is Yang Van Ike himself. You know, this is definitely a degree of detail that I couldn't imagine when I created egg-colored paintings in my early days.
▲ Yang Van Eyck's Portrait of Mr. and Mrs. Anofini c. 1434, 82x59.5cm, National Gallery of Britain, with pictures from the Internet.
Let's take a look at this woodcut oil painting "The Good News of Angels". At first glance, officials don't want to say, "Bian Xiao, are you kidding? This is obviously two sculptures! " Goose, this is really an oil painting! This is an oil painting! This is an oil painting! Yang Van Eyck imitated the texture of sculpture in the handling of characters, and adopted a kind of "wrong vision-L" in the frame part at that time? Il) "Painting skills give viewers a very real sense of three-dimensional space. It can be seen that the father of oil painting not only paints like a "microscope", but also plays visual games very smoothly!
▲ Yang Van Ike's Good News of Angels 39 x 24 cm C.1433-1435, Madrid National Museum, with pictures from the Internet.
Yang Van Eyck's superb oil painting effects shocked many other artists of the same period. In addition, he was a key figure in the formation of oil painting. His innovation in painting techniques and breakthrough in traditional painting concepts made him a well-deserved "father of oil painting".
Is there more than one "father of oil painting"? !
Bian Xiao mentioned earlier that the Immovable Property and Ghent Altar Paintings collected in St. Baavo's Cathedral will appear in the "C" position of the exhibition hall, which is the first time in history that this group of altars have left St. Baavo's Cathedral for exhibition, and may be the last time to be lent.
▲ Hubert Van Ike, Yang Van Ike, Ghent Altar Painting (when closed) C.1415-1432,350 x 228.5cm, Ghent St. Bamon Church, with pictures from the Internet.
Ghent altar painting is the earliest signature work of the Nederland School. It is a group of multi-wing "opening and closing" altar paintings, with 8 paintings outside and 12 paintings inside the altar. This group of altar paintings usually only spread their wings during festivals and sacrificial activities. This time, the audience who can visit the exhibition site can enjoy the inner layer of 12 painting at close range. I really envy Bian Xiao!
▲ Ghent Altar painted by Hubert Van Eyck and Jan Van Eyck (when opened) C.1415-1350.5cmx457.2cm, Ghent St. Bamon Church, the picture is from the Internet.
Ghent altar painting was completed between 14 15 and 1432. At the beginning, Hubert van Eyck was invited by the mayor of Ghent, Jodocus Vyd, to draw a set of altars for St. Bamon's Church. So the artist who accepted this order was not Yang Van Ike. Who is Hubert van eyck?
▲ Woodcut portrait of Hubert Van Eyck created by Eddm de boulogne. /kloc-in the middle of the 0/6th century, the picture came from the Internet.
A witty reader should be able to guess the name. Hubert is the brother of Yang Van Ike.
▲ At present, another known work, Three Marys by the Tomb, was written by Hubert Van Eyck, with the date from 14 10 to 1420, and was later completed by another painter, Pojman Van Buningen Museum, with pictures from the Internet.
According to the data, Hubert Van Eyck died after painting for ten years, and the rest of the work fell to Yang Van Eyck. Up to now, the art world has not reached an accurate conclusion about which parts of Ghent's altar painting were completed by Hubert and which parts were written by Jan Van Ecker. In any case, the Ghent altar painting completed by the two brothers made Jan Van Eyck famous, and he can be said to have reached the peak of his life.
▲ Yang Van Ike's "Ghent Altar Painting: Praise of Lambs" c. 1432, 137.7 x 242.3cm, St. Bamon Cathedral, with pictures from the Internet.
Although this masterpiece brought many honors to Jan Van Eyck, he never forgot his brother's contribution. If we go to see Ghent Altar Painting: Praise for the Lamb today, we will find an inscription on the outside of the frame, which shows that this group of altar paintings was started by Hubert van Ike, and his younger brother Yang Van Ike completed the whole painting in 1432. It is this short line that shows my brother's love for my brother.
A masterpiece that has gone through hardships because it is too "pleasing"
Ghent altar painting has always been regarded as one of the most important works of art in the world, and it is also the most unique city card of Ghent. This group of masterpieces has gone through hardships since its completion. They were either destroyed by fire, plundered by invaders or stolen, and one of them has not been recovered so far. From 20 12 to 10, this painting began a long-term restoration plan. Recently, the part of Praise for the Lamb was resumed. Bian Xiao actually has a long way to go after reading the picture ~
▲ Yang Van Akgent's Altar Painting: Praise of Lamb, Part C 1432, 137.7 x 242.3cm, St. Bamon's Cathedral, with pictures from the Internet.
So why is this masterpiece so popular? The theme of Ghent's altar painting is taken from the Bible. Among the eight paintings on the outer panel, the middle part depicts the scene of the virgin receiving newspapers.
▲ Hubert Van Ike, Yang Van Ike, Ghent Altar Painting (partial when closed) C.1415-1432,350 x 228.5cm, Ghent St. Bamon Church, with pictures from the Internet.
At the bottom of the picture, the client Wade and his wife are kneeling on the ground and praying with their hands folded.
▲ Hubert Van Ike, Yang Van Ike, Ghent Altar Painting (partial when closed) C.1415-1432,350 x 228.5cm, Ghent St. Bamon Church, with pictures from the Internet.
The most wonderful painting of Ghent Altar is the 12 masterpiece inside. When the altar painting was opened, you saw a gorgeous and solemn picture. The first half of the picture mainly reflects people's cognition of the concept of "redemption" in the Middle Ages.
▲ Ghent Altar (partially opened) painted by Hubert Van Eyck and Jan Van Eyck C.1415-1432,350.5 cm, Ghent St. Bamon Church, with pictures from the Internet.
Sitting in the middle is the holy God, on the left is the Virgin Mary, and on the right is St. John the Baptist in a green robe.
▲ Ghent Altar painted by Hubert Van Eyck and Jan Van Eyck (partial details when opening) C.1415-1350.5cmx457.2cm, Ghent St. Bamon Church, with pictures from the Internet.
Next to it are two groups of choirs composed of angels, with Adam and Eve at the edge of the picture. The Van Eyck brothers showed their superb painting skills by showing their characters' personality characteristics, gorgeous costumes, bright jewels and complex backgrounds in great detail.
▲ Ghent Altar painted by Hubert Van Eyck and Jan Van Eyck (partial details when opening) C.1415-1350.5cmx457.2cm, Ghent St. Bamon Church, with pictures from the Internet.
The left and right parts of the lower part depict saints walking from all directions to the altar and the fountain of life. The lamb on the middle altar symbolizes the sacrifice of the son of God, and its blood flows into the Holy Grail and then into the fountain.
▲ Ghent Altar (partially opened) painted by Hubert Van Eyck and Jan Van Eyck C.1415-1432,350.5 cm, Ghent St. Bamon Church, with pictures from the Internet.
▲ Yang Van Akgent's Altar Painting: Praise of Lamb, Part C 1432, 137.7 x 242.3cm, St. Bamon's Cathedral, with pictures from the Internet.
The whole set of paintings depicts the complete content of people from depravity to redemption in that period, and expresses the praise of Jesus' sacrifice of his love of God to save mankind. Seeing this, I believe all readers can now understand why this "masterpiece" occupies such an important position in the history of art?
Fu Lei, an art critic, once said: "The highest purpose of art is not art itself, but to express the artistic conception of the soul, or great thoughts, or the passionate mission of mankind." In Jan Van Eyck, painting is not only a work of art, but also a sacred object to express piety. He relies on his extraordinary knowledge and unparalleled observation skills.