Jan and Hubert van Eyck

The Van Eycks, especially Jan, pioneered a revolutionary style renowned for its unprecedented realism, meticulous detail, and luminous color achieved through oil painting techniques.

Key Characteristics:

• Hyperrealism: Objects are rendered with astonishing accuracy, capturing textures, light, and reflections in a way never seen before. Think of the tiny hairs, shimmering jewels, and wrinkles on skin.
• Oil Painting Mastery: Van Eyck perfected the use of oil paints, allowing for greater layering, blending, and vibrant color.
• Symbolism: Everyday objects are imbued with religious meaning and symbolic significance.
• Portraiture: They excelled at creating realistic and individualized portraits.
• Naturalism: Landscapes and interiors are depicted with a keen eye for detail and spatial depth.

Themes:

• Religious narratives, particularly the Virgin Mary and saints
• Wealth and power
• The earthly versus the divine
• The human condition

Van EYEck: Remember his last name "EYE" to connect him to his intensely observational and detail-oriented style. His eye for detail was like no other!