I had to think on this one for a while, for there were really two artists that really jumped out at me for this quarter in art history. Though I have always loved works from Michelangelo (the Sistine Chapel and the Statue of David are immediately recognizable as some of the greatest works in all history) I have to say I really enjoyed learning about Jan van Eyck at the beginning of the quarter. His paintings were so exquisite for the time, each person and object that filled his painting revealed a talent that can only be described no less than masterful. I was so surprised at the level of skill used in the paintings, especially after the part where the documentary reveals how paint was synthesized in those days, and even with these limitations, Jan van Eyck created beautiful pieces of art,
I was enthralled by the Gent Altarpiece, I mean, each of the twenty-four panels replicates how light would play as if they were actually three dimensional objects within the Joost Vijdt Chapel. The precision of detail left me in awe; in the scene the “Lamb of God,” you can walk up to the painting and pick out even the smallest blades of grass. You can see the very veins in Eves arm and the slightest shadows on Adams foot making him appear as if he was really in our world.
Also, the “Arnolfini Portrait” really caught my eye in terms of his unmatched skill at the time. The craftsmanship raised the bar to a standard unseen before his paintings. Fabrics flow with as much variance in shadow and texture in this painting as in real life.
Jan van Eyck truly was ahead of his time.
Jan van Eyck truly was ahead of his time.
