The Virgin and Child with Chancellor Rolin
Jan Van Eyck (1390-1441)
1435
Oil on wood panel
The Louvre, Paris, France
The title describes the scene exactly as it is, Chancellor Rolin sits across The Virgin Mary and the Christ-child. This scene was painted with oil on wood panel by Jan Van Eyck around 1432. It was a unique painting of the time, breaking away from traditional narrative themes and scenes of the lives of Christian Saints. Instead, it focused on the personal contemplation of Christ and the Virgin which are to be seen as objects of meditation.
Chancellor Rolin was a considerably wealthy man as a holder of the highest office of State. He commissioned Jan Van Eyck to execute this painting for his parish church in Autun called Notre Dame du Chastel. He occupies the left side of the painting and holds a pensive look on his face, as if he’s looking up from reading a book for hours. He dons a sumptuous brocade cloak line with mink fur. This fur comes from the aptly named “Mink,” which is, still today, a highly prized fur used in clothing. The use and of this rare fur describes the Chancellors wealth. Despite the likely high price of his fur, it was discovered through infra-red reflectology that Rolin was originally painted with a purse hanging from one shoulder. Without a doubt, the Chancellor asked for it to be removed to avoid any reference to his wealth that his place in office provided.
Reflecting the chancellor in astute symmetry in the Madonna and Child. The virgin’s ample red coat is trimmed with a rich border of braid, pearls and precious stones. Red is the color of power as well as the presence of the Holy Sprit and the presence of God, appropriate within this context. The gold lining, representing the heavens, contains a subtle inscription, “elevata and exaltata.” Her cloak’s color and inscription describe the hieratic position as a symbol of wisdom - a familiar theme in Romanesque art.
Though nude, the infant Jesus sits atop a subtle white linen piece. This is a reference to his purity, virtue, and innocence as well as his future funeral shroud. The child is holding a crystal globe that surmounts a gold cross. This object, although not clothing, is important due to its representation of Christ’s earthly power, his dominion, and the cross while the crystal represents Mary’s purity.
Finally, two small figures observing the landscape occupy the background. It’s supposed that the two figures are Jan Van Eyck and one of his assistants. Van Eyck has been portrayed in other paintings donning a red turban. It wasn’t uncommon for artists to provide self-portraits in their work.
Sources:
http://www.medieval-life-and-times.info/medieval-art/meaning-of-colors-in-christian-art.htm
http://musee.louvre.fr/oal/viergerolin/indexEN.html
https://rafaelplacido.wordpress.com/2008/07/27/a-closer-look-at-the-virgin-and-child-with-chancellor-rolin/
http://www.wga.hu/html_m/e/eyck_van/jan/02page/16rolin.html
Jan Van Eyck (1390-1441)
1435
Oil on wood panel
The Louvre, Paris, France
The title describes the scene exactly as it is, Chancellor Rolin sits across The Virgin Mary and the Christ-child. This scene was painted with oil on wood panel by Jan Van Eyck around 1432. It was a unique painting of the time, breaking away from traditional narrative themes and scenes of the lives of Christian Saints. Instead, it focused on the personal contemplation of Christ and the Virgin which are to be seen as objects of meditation.
Chancellor Rolin was a considerably wealthy man as a holder of the highest office of State. He commissioned Jan Van Eyck to execute this painting for his parish church in Autun called Notre Dame du Chastel. He occupies the left side of the painting and holds a pensive look on his face, as if he’s looking up from reading a book for hours. He dons a sumptuous brocade cloak line with mink fur. This fur comes from the aptly named “Mink,” which is, still today, a highly prized fur used in clothing. The use and of this rare fur describes the Chancellors wealth. Despite the likely high price of his fur, it was discovered through infra-red reflectology that Rolin was originally painted with a purse hanging from one shoulder. Without a doubt, the Chancellor asked for it to be removed to avoid any reference to his wealth that his place in office provided.
Reflecting the chancellor in astute symmetry in the Madonna and Child. The virgin’s ample red coat is trimmed with a rich border of braid, pearls and precious stones. Red is the color of power as well as the presence of the Holy Sprit and the presence of God, appropriate within this context. The gold lining, representing the heavens, contains a subtle inscription, “elevata and exaltata.” Her cloak’s color and inscription describe the hieratic position as a symbol of wisdom - a familiar theme in Romanesque art.
Though nude, the infant Jesus sits atop a subtle white linen piece. This is a reference to his purity, virtue, and innocence as well as his future funeral shroud. The child is holding a crystal globe that surmounts a gold cross. This object, although not clothing, is important due to its representation of Christ’s earthly power, his dominion, and the cross while the crystal represents Mary’s purity.
Finally, two small figures observing the landscape occupy the background. It’s supposed that the two figures are Jan Van Eyck and one of his assistants. Van Eyck has been portrayed in other paintings donning a red turban. It wasn’t uncommon for artists to provide self-portraits in their work.
Sources:
http://www.medieval-life-and-times.info/medieval-art/meaning-of-colors-in-christian-art.htm
http://musee.louvre.fr/oal/viergerolin/indexEN.html
https://rafaelplacido.wordpress.com/2008/07/27/a-closer-look-at-the-virgin-and-child-with-chancellor-rolin/
http://www.wga.hu/html_m/e/eyck_van/jan/02page/16rolin.html