Analyzing Flemish and Renaissance Art: Van Eyck and Botticelli
Arnolfini Portrait by Jan van Eyck
We analyze one of the most emblematic paintings in art history, the portrait of the Arnolfini couple by Flemish painter Jan van Eyck. An oak panel painting, a work in oils, using a brush. The famous painting presents the couple at the time of contracting matrimony. Both characters, portrayed in the foreground, are placed in a room with a wooden floor, lit by a window that opens to the left. At the foot of the couple is a dog, and in the background, the corner of a carpet and a bed canopy can be seen. In the center of the composition hangs a lamp from the ceiling, and on the back wall, a mirror reflects the entire room. On the framework, we find a Latin inscription in Gothic characters: “Johannes de Eyck fuit hic, 1434” (Jan van Eyck was here, 1434). Giovanni Arnolfini, portrayed with a serious attitude, is richly attired in a dark color, with a cloak and broad hat. His raised right hand seems to swear or bless, while the left holds his wife Giovanna, dressed in bright green with a white veil. Her large belly, on which she rests her other hand, suggests she is pregnant. A soft light engulfs the scene, fully illuminating the woman’s face while fading around the merchant. The predominant colors are clearly symbolic: green refers to fertility, red to passion. The dog is an evident allusion to fidelity within marriage. The lamp, with only one lit candle (the light would go unnoticed in broad daylight), is a clear reference to Jesus Christ and represents the flame of love that can be consumed. The circular mirror, under which are Stations of the Cross, shows the scene from the opposite perspective, revealing the couple’s back and two other figures, one of whom could be the painter himself.
David by Donatello
Donatello sculpted the bronze David, representing the young biblical hero as a sculpture of the Greek world. He is depicted without clothes, valuing the naked body as a bearer of beauty, a clearly classical concept. It shows the young man after defeating his rival by cutting off the head with his own sword. He appears relaxed, without tension, in a Praxitelean model, evident in the exaggerated contrapposto of his body and the soft, almost feminine anatomical treatment, characteristic of the Greek master. The work has a gently undulating rhythm, enhanced by the arms away from the body: one holding the sword and the other resting on his hip, giving a feeling of relaxation and tranquility. The inflection of the legs prevents any tension in the figure. Only the head under David’s left foot reminds us of the combat, along with a stone in his left hand. David is depicted with long, loose hair, wearing a hat and sandals. Interpreted in a Neoplatonic key, it represents the triumph of intelligence against brute force, symbolized by the giant.
Birth of Venus by Botticelli
Venus, the goddess of love, is born from the genitals of the god Uranus, cut by his son Cronus and thrown into the sea. The artist presents the arrival of the goddess, pushed by the wind after her birth. Venus appears in the center of the composition on a huge shell, her long blond hair covering her private parts while she tries to cover her breast with her right arm. The white figure is accompanied by Zephyrus, the god of wind, and Aura, the goddess of the breeze, both in a close embrace. In the land area, we find the goddess of Spring, leading her robe decorated with floral motifs, waiting to cover Venus with a flowery blanket. Roses fall with Venus, as tradition says they came with her. The outlines are strengthened with a dark line, as if it were a classical statue, referencing antiquity. The clothes are stuck to the bodies, highlighting every fold and detail. The result is sensational, although Botticelli’s paintings seem somewhat cold and primitive.
Spring by Botticelli
The technique used for Spring is tempera (pigments mixed with egg) on board. It represents various mythological figures: Venus with the three Graces, who dance to the right of Mercury. On the left is the nymph Chloris, pursued by Zephyrus, transforming into Flora, and at the top, we find Cupid. This work stands out for its great realism in the figures, detailed anatomy, and naturalism, serving as a clear example of portraiture. The sensation of movement is accentuated by the subtle movements of the Graces in their dance and by Chloris and Zephyrus, making it a largely dynamic work. We can draw a triangle from Cupid down to Mercury and Zephyrus, joining the other figures. The Three Graces may represent a single character, and the center of the work is undoubtedly Venus. The characters’ faces reflect peace and serenity, without sadness or melancholy, although Botticelli’s later works accentuate drama. Venus is near the Three Graces, who dance to the right of Mercury, who tries to touch the sky. On the left is Flora, who includes Chloris releasing flowers from her mouth; Flora is the only one who stares at the viewer. The nymph Chloris is pursued by Zephyrus, and at the top, we find Cupid, blindfolded and aiming an arrow at one of the Graces. In this work, light predominates over the characters’ bodies and in the clearings in the forest. Flowers on the ground create a contrast in the dark forest. The colors used are both cold and warm: cold in the forest and Zephyrus‘s body, warm in the garb of Mercury and Venus. The colors stand out on the lines that still define the drawing.