Jan Van Eyck

Jan Van Eyck is an early Netherlandish painter. He was born in Maaseik. He lived from 1390 bc to 1441 bc. He is well known for Northern Renaissance Art and he is a founder of Early Netherlandish painting. One of my favorite pieces of his is the Arnolfini Portrait which we viewed in class. It depicts a young man with his wife featuring a mirror with the same image replaced with his other wives who have died. This painting is so intricate that I could look at it for hours and find something new. A lot of his work was like that and that’s why I appreciate it so much

Giotto was a well known and respected Italian Renaissance artist. He was born in c1266 in Florence Italy. He was a big part of the Proto Renaissance movement.  He is famous for breaking from the traditional Byzantine style and introducing artwork influenced by real life. Two of his most famous works are the frescoes and The Lamentation, as shown below.

The Lamentation depicts Jesus after he was taken off the cross. Mary and his family/friends gathered around him to mourn his death. The colors used by Giotto are a darker tone, making the bright halos stand out on the the angel’s and people’s heads. This painting is very well balanced. While Jesus is the main focus of this painting, there isn’t much of a focal point. This image captures the union between Jesus and his people. Giotto did a lovely job expressing this part of the Bible.