The Northern Renaissance
in Holland, Flanders, Belgium and
Germany
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Jan Van Eyck
Roger Van der Weyden
Hugo Van der Goes
Albrecht Durer
Hans Holbein
Hieronymus Bosch
Key Terms
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Detail
Precision
Symbolism
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In Northern Europe, the Renaissance
came later than it did in Italy, and it
progressed more slowly. In Italy, artists
had the ruins of classical Roman and
Greek culture all around them and took
their inspiration from these works.
In the north, artists continued to develop
the International style, which had
developed in the late Medieval period and
was characterized by precision, detail,
grace, and elegance.
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Artists in northern European countries spent
countless hours painting the delicate design on a
garment, the leaves on a tree, or the wrinkles on
a face.
At the same time, symbolism, which was so
important in Gothic art, grew even more
important. Many of the details placed in a picture
had special meanings.
For example, a single burning candle meant the
presence of God; a dog was a symbol of loyalty;
and fruit signified the innocence of humanity
before the Fall in the Garden of Eden. (Mittler.
Art in Focus)
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Look for these symbols and others in
the painting Giovanni Arnolfini and
his Bride. How many can you
identify? Suggest meanings for the
various symbolic elements in the
painting, the placement of the
figures, the clothing, the room’s
furnishings.
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Besides the dog, the candle, and the fruit,
there are additional symbolic objects in
this famous painting.
The shoes, seen at bottom left, signify
that, as they receive the sacrament of
marriage, these people are in the
presence of God, and therefore standing
on holy ground. (Moses was told the
remove his shoes when he encountered
God in the burning bush, and the young
couple do the same).
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The broom that
hangs from the
bedpost is a
symbol of domestic
housekeeping;
these two people
are setting up a
home that they will
look after together.
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The mirror on the
far wall of the
room shows the
reflections of two
people, one of
whom is Van Eyck
himself; these
figures are the
witnesses of the
marriage of
Arnolfini and his
bride.
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Just above the mirror, Van Eyck has
signed his name in ornate script,
with the message: Jan Van Eyck was
here, 1434.
If you consider the painting as a
visual document, recording the
marriage, then this is Van Eyck’s
signature, as a witness to the event.
Signs of wealth
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Arnolfini would have demanded that his wealth
and status were obvious when he commissioned
Van Eyck to paint this double portrait.
The two figures are very richly dressed; despite
the season both their outer garments, are
trimmed and fully lined with fur. The furs may be
the especially expensive sable for him and ermine
or miniver for her. Both outfits would have been
enormously expensive, and appreciated as such
by a contemporary viewer.
The interior of the room has other
signs of wealth; the brass
chandelier, the oranges, the
elaborate bed-hangings, and the
carvings on the chair and bench
against the back wall. Another
sign of wealth is the small
Oriental carpet on the floor by
the bed; many owners of such
expensive objects placed them on
tables, as they still do in the
Netherlands; this couple can
afford to walk on their carpet.
(Wikipedia)
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The placement of the
two figures suggests
conventional 15th
century views of
marriage and gender
roles – the woman
stands near the bed
and well into the
room, symbolic of her
role as the caretaker
of the house, whereas
Giovanni stands near
the open window,
symbolic of his role in
the outside world.
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Giovanni looks directly out at the viewer,
his wife gazes obediently at her husband.
His hand is vertically raised, representing
his commanding position of authority,
whilst she has her hand in a lower,
horizontal, more submissive pose.
However, her gaze at her husband can
also show her equality to him because she
is not looking down at the floor like lower
class women would. They are part of the
Burgundian court life and in that system
she is his equal not his subordinate.
(Harbison, Craig)
Jan van Eyck – The Adoration of
the Lamb - 1432
Van Eyck - Adoration of the Lamb
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This painting is made up of 12 panels and
stretches four and a half metres across in
total.
It depicts a sacrificial lamb on an altar at
the centre of the composition, a symbolic
representation of Jesus.
The fountain at the bottom of the picture
represents the healing water of baptism.
Clarity and Realism
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The light in van Eyck’s painting is crystal clear. It
allows you to see perfectly the colour, texture,
and shape of every object.
The details are painted with extraordinary care.
The soft texture of hair, the glitter and luster of
precious jewels and the richness of brocade are
all painted with the same concern for precision.
Every object, no matter how small or
insignificant, is given equal importance. This
attention to detail enabled van Eyck to create a
special kind of realism – a realism in which the
colour, shape, and texture of every object were
painted only after long study (Mittler. Art in
Focus).
Rogier Van der Weyden – Descent
from the Cross
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Van der Weyden, like van Eyck, was
concerned with detail, but he took the
development of painting in Northern
Europe forward with some new ideas.
In his Descent from the Cross, we see
more emotion, and a greater concern for
design, or organization, than we find in
van Eyck’s pictures (Mittler. Art in Focus).
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Notice the repeating curved axis
lines: Christ’s body forms an S
curve, which is repeated in the curve
of his fainting mother.
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The two figures on either
side bend inward and
direct your attention to
Christ and his mother.
The figures fill the shallow
space, allowing the viewer
to see the highly individual
expressions on the faces of
the figures.
Van der Weyden was
notable for the
emotionalism of his
paintings.
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The two hands at the centre of the
painting, Mary’s left, and Jesus’ right, are
close, but not touching, suggesting the
gulf that has opened between the living
and the dead.
Rogier Van der Weyden
Portrait of a Lady
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Van der Weyden’s
portrait is
remarkable for its
psychological
insight. He has
been able to
convey her
reserve, and quiet
dignity quite
clearly.
Hugo Van der Goes
The Adoration of the Shepherds
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Van der Goes combined the
emotionalism of Rogier van der
Weyden with the realistic detail of
Jan van Eyck. But he made an
addition of his own: He was not
afraid to alter or distort nature or
proportion if it would add to the
emotionalism of his picture (Mittler.
Art in Focus).
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In his Adoration of the Shepherds, we see
distortions in the proportions of the
various figures, with the angels in the
foreground much smaller than the figure
of Mary.
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This painting was sent to Florence, Italy,
soon after it was completed, and made a
deep impression on the Italian artists who
saw it.
What excited them most was the portrayal
of the three shepherds, who are not
elegant noblemen, but ragged peasants.
No one had dared to depict religious
scenes like this before.
Albrecht Durer
Self Portrait
Albrecht Durer – Stag
Beetle
Albrecht Durer
Praying Hands
Albrecht Durer
Melancholia
Albrecht Durer
Knight, Death and the Devil
Hieronymus Bosch
The Garden of Earthly Delights
Hieronmymus Bosch
Death and the Miser
Pieter Brueghel
The Parable of the Blind
Pieter Brueghel
Peasant Wedding
Pieter Brueghel
Returning Hunters
Pieter Brueghel
Hans Holbein
Edward VI as a Child
Hans Holbein
King Henry VIII
Hans Holbein
Anne of Cleves