The Arnolfini Portrait

Over breakfast I caught a snippet of a Channel 4 Learning show on drinking. It inspired me to stop pissing about and do some work today. So yes, a good start it seems.

After the drinking, there was a mini-program called National Gallery. Today's featured painting was The Arnolfini Potrait, Jan Van Eyck 1434. Here it is:


And some things that I've learnt about it:

1. The man in the picture was Giovanni di Nicolao Arnolfini, an Italian merchant living in what we now call Belgium.
2. He stands with his second wife, who is actually not pregnant, but instead wearing a full-skirted dress at the height of fashion. It was unlikely she ever had children.
3. They are very rich - clues include real fur trimmed clothes, a pretty dog, ornate surroundings, and oranges (rare and thus expensive).
4. Most interestingly, alongside the rear reflection of the couple, the mirror in the background also shows a vague reflection of another couple in the room. Is one of these people Mr Van Eyck? Further, the dog is not reflected...poor doggy.
5. And finally, the work is inscribed: "Johannes de eyck fuit hic". A website translates this Latin as "Jan Van Eyck was here". Good graffiti.

Here's a finger puppet version of the same picture, heehee:


You'll be pleased to know that I am busy researching my other commuter idea (I've made a brainstorm and everything!) so will be back here later with an update after I finish these boooooring old lesson plans....