Renaissance realist

The Arnolfini Portrait, depicting the wedding of a young couple, is one of the most famous paintings of the Early Renaissance. With its unprecedented precision and masterful use of color (down to the most minute details reflected in the background mirror), the painting is a testament to the mastery of Flemish painter Jan van Eyck (c. 1390-1441), leader of the Early Netherland School. Though he cannot be credited, as many have claimed, as the inventor of oil painting, his use of the medium was highly innovative, allowing for great intensity and depth of color. Often imitated but never equaled, van Eyck left an indelible impression on Renaissance art and paved the way for future realist painters.

About the Series:
Every book in TASCHEN's Basic Art Series features:

* a detailed chronological summary of the artist's life and work, covering the cultural and historical importance of the artist
* approximately 100 color illustrations with explanatory captions
* a concise biography



About the author:
Dr. Till-Holger Borchert studied Art history, Musicology and German Literature in Bonn and Bloomington (IN). He is Chief Curator of the Groeningemuseum in Bruges and curated exhibitions in Bruges, Brussels, Rotterdam, Madrid and New York. He taught art history at the university of Aachen and at Memphis University (TN), where he held the Hohenberg Chair in Art History. His publications focus on Northern Renaissance Art and reception history