Fernando Botero (Colombian b. 1932) The Arnolfini (after Van Eyck) signed, dated and titled 'BOTERO, 97, AFTER VAN EYCK' (lower right) 52¾ x 42 in. (134 x 106.7 cm.) +1 212 636 2150 Considered one of the most complex paintings in the history of western art, The Arnolfini Portrait executed in 1434 by the Flemish master Jan Van Eyck continues to intrigue art historians and art lovers alike. The painting is extraordinary for its intense realism and pictorial illusionism coupled with a plethora of symbolic elements that continue to conflate our reading of this enigmatic work centuries after it was completed. Fernando Botero--a perennial and devoted student of the history of art and of visual culture is known for his many citations of old master and modern paintings. His particular love affair with Van Eyck's wedding portrait appears to have begun in the 1960s and has continued throughout much of his career during which time he has re-visited the Flemish master's creation on numerous occasions offering up multiple versions of the iconic double portrait whilst bringing his own unmistakable vision and penchant for disproportionate and voluminous forms.

Indeed with each version Botero has tweaked the composition most notably the relationship between the sitters and the space they occupy. And, perhaps no version is as complex and more nearly approximates the original source than the present example executed in 1997. As is characteristic with much of Botero's work from the 1980s onwards, the environment asserts a greater visual significance in his paintings no longer a mere backdrop on which to superimpose his corpulent characters. And while here as elsewhere the figures remain the main protagonists, it is interesting to note this formal shift and its impact on how we perceive the two figures relationship to space and the larger world they inhabit. In the current work, the use of orthogonal lines echoed by the ceiling beams, the wooden floor boards, the window frame and bed canopy not only introduce the dramatic effects of linear perspective and depth to the composition but magnetically thrusts the viewer's attention to the center of the composition to where our wedded couple have joined hands in a symbolic gesture of their matrimonial union.

Here too Botero employs a greater number of architectural and decorative motifs that more closely replicate those utilized by Van Eyck--the chandelier, mirror, and cushioned chair in the center, the open window to the left of the groom, the elaborately upholstered red canopy bed to the right of the bride, and the barely visible Persian rug peeking out from under the bed. marjorie skouras chandelier costOther details appropriated from the original work include the small lap dog and the slippers at the bottom of the composition as well as the meticulously arranged oranges on the window ledge and table below. chandelier restaurant bloomfield njAnd while many of these elements are less embellished in Botero's painting and perhaps not as symbolically charged, here as in the Flemish painter's version they are critical to providing a context--valuable tools for deciphering the private, domestic world of our newlyweds. chandelier safavide

Moreover their well-appointed space coupled with their opulent garments provides valuable insight with regards to their public lives and social standing. But alas, Botero's painting is less concerned with simply replicating the original source or commenting on that era's social mores and habits. Rather what makes the The Arnolfini (after Van Eyck) exciting is the manner in which the artist utilizes the formal tropes associated with western art and pictorial illusionism to simultaneously assert and undermine notions of truth and "realism" in painting. Indeed while Van Eyck meticulously and seamlessly rendered every detail in his painting with an almost photographic verisimilitude, Botero is consistently reminding us of the artifice involved in constructing that visual world. And despite his use of the traditional representational devices of perspective and depth, the relationship between the physical space and the couple remains incongruous. Likewise Botero inserts himself in the reflection of the "painting" in the gilded mirror in a sly gesture more reminiscent of Velásquez in his epic Las Meninas than in an homage to Van Eyck.

Similarly the curious open window with the orange still life motif recalls the Belgian surrealist painter René Magritte's 1933 La condition humaine--another potent and wry reminder by the Colombian master of the fragile limits between reality and representation. Marlborough Gallery, New York. Acquired from the above by the present owner. A.M. Escallón, Botero: New Works on Canvas, Rizzoli, New York, 1997, p. 185 (illustrated in color). van eyck images | van eyck on canvas Print Image Size: any size you like Print available to buy on paper or canvas Arnolfini Marriage print available to be framed - Arnolfini Marriage Prints or, You can Buy this Van Eyck art print and/or poster and/or get it framed with this link to AllPosters He makes a living as a Jamiroquai impersonator. That chandelier is coming down just as soon as he's done what he's gotta do with the candle wax.For centuries, scholars attached a bit of folklore and more than a little symbolism to the elements of this painting.

Modern scholars have introduced new theories that even cast doubt on who is depicted in the painting. Regardless of what particular elements in the painting may have symbolized or even who the individuals depicted really are, this painting remains one of the most important works of the time by an innovative artist who developed many of the techniques, and even the paints, that made it possible. Portrait of Giovanni Arnolfini and his Wife was painted by the Flemish artist, Jan van Eyck (ca. 1380-1441) in 1434. He is often credited as the first artist to use oil paint on panels. It is more universally accepted that he developed new oil painting techniques which make this painting so famous and important in the world of art. Originally, the painting was thought to serve as an almost historical record or notorized and witnessed event – the marriage of Giovanni Arnolfini, a northern Italian merchant in the Netherlands on business, and his bride Jeanne de Chenany. The details make the painting quite personal – the rosary on the wall, the fruit on the window-sill, the little brush hanging from the bedpost and the pair of shoes in the foreground.

Even the cute, little scruffy dog add to the realism of the painting. van Eyck signed the work, not on the frame as he traditionally did, but on the back wall of the room. The inscription was in Latin “Johannes de eyck fuit hic” (Jan van Eyck was present). A close look at the mirror on the wall shows the entire setting in reverse, including two witnesses – probably van Eyck and his wife. It is believed, this painting, for the first time in history, credited the artist with being the perfect eye-witness to a major event. If you look closely, you might notice that only one candle in the chandelier is lit. Many believe that was done to symbolize the presence of God. The fact that the wooden clogs are not being worn was also thought to symbolize the holiness of the moment. In this famous painting, we see Arnolfini’s bride placing her hand in his, a traditional gesture of a betrothal acceptance, particularly when a foreigner was involved. Art scholars, according to Wikipedia, are now questioning the original intent of this painting.

They believe that Jeanne de Chenany was not actually pregnant when the portrait was painted but is shown in a traditional gesture that represents virgin saints and the child-bearing potential of women. The entry further claims that recently discovered records indicate Guovanni Arnolfini’s wife died before 1434 whereby one could conclude that the women in the painting was already dead or would die during childbirth while the portrait was being completed. The Wikipedia article on the painting itself, Arnolfini Portrait also asserts that the painting may be of another couple entirely – perhaps a cousin. Personally, I prefer the folklore which has been attached to this van Eyck painting for centuries rather than some “recently discovered records.” There’s an oddly serene and troubling aspect to the painting. The man looks quite stern and the lady looks somehow demure and content. She may or may not actually be pregnant as the way she is holding her dress might be creating that illusion.