Book description
The Arnolfini portrait, painted by Jan van Eyck in 1434, is one of
the world's most famous paintings. This haunting gem of medieval art,
a subtle and beautiful portrait of a wealthy Bruges merchant and his
wife, intrigues all who see it.
Is the painting the celebration of marriage or pregnancy, a memorial
to a wife who died in childbirth, a fashion statement or a status
symbol? Using her acclaimed forensic skills as an art historian,
Carola Hicks set out to decode the mystery.
She also tells the fascinating story of the painting's survival
through fire and battle, and of its owners. Uniquely, for a
masterpiece of its age, its provenance can be tracked through every
single owner - from the mysterious Mr Arnolfini via various monarchs
to being an early star of the National Gallery in 1842- and these
owners have a cameo appearance too, in this enthralling story of how
an artwork of genius can speak afresh to each new generation.
Carola Hicks, an acclaimed art historian, and witty, perceptive
writer, died in 2010 just as she was finishing this book. Born in
Sussex, Carola studied archaeology at Edinburgh University, and was an
actress, journalist and House of Commons Researcher, before taking up an
academic career. For several years she was curator of the Stained Glass
Museum at Ely Cathedral, and then became a Fellow and Director of
Studies in art history at Newnham College, Cambridge. Her books include
Animals in Early Medieval Art
,
Improper Pursuits: The Scandalous Life of Lady Di Beauclerk
, and two fine 'biographies' of works of art:
The Bayeux Tapestry:
The Life Story of a Masterpiece
and
The King's Glass: A Story of Tudor Power and Secret Art.
