THE ARNOLFINI MARRIAGE

How to talk about a work of art in the classroom (Level B1) by Claudia Baruzzi

who?

how? where?

when?

what?

Work of art

?

…is it?

A painting

…is it?

Profession: ? Nationality: ?

…painted it?

??

…painted it?

JAN VAN EICKJAN VAN EICK

Profession: Painter Nationality: Dutch

HOW?

Material:

OIL ON WOOD

Size:

RECTANGULAR

Dimension

Height: 81.8 cmLength: 59.7 cm

in 1434

in 1434

in 1434

in the first half of the 15th century

IN BRUGES

in BELGIUM

In the National Gallery

IN LONDON

This is Belgium…what’s its capital?

How many provinces in Belgium?

Look at the colours…

Can you guess how many languages are spoken?

Which language is spoken In Flanders?

Which language is spoken In Wallonia?

In Brussels,people speak….

Let’s check…

Dutch (or Flemish) is spoken in Flanders.

French is spokenin Wallonia.

In Brussels,people speak both Dutch and French.

Country: BelgiumRegion: Flanders

Province: West FlandersCapital: Bruges (in French) or Brugge (in Dutch)

In the top right(hand) corner

In the top left(hand) corner

In the bottom right(hand) corner

In the bottom left(hand) corner

At the top

At the bottom

In the back

in the middle

In the front

On the rightOn the left

• LOCATIONS• On the right/left• Near the….(VICINO A,,)• By the….(PRESSO…)• IN the…• On the….• Under……• Opposite….(di fronte, faccia a faccia)• In front of… (DAVANTI A..)• Between…..• Behind…..• ACTIONS (present progressive tense)• The man/ the woman is ________ing• CLOTHING• WHAT’s the MAN/WOMAN wearing?• HE/SHE’s wearing a……..• OPINIONS• I think…..• It looks like she might be …• Perhaps/maybe she is…• They look serious /They appear to be

tired/happy• They must be… / they can’t be

LET’S DESCRIBE THE PAINTING! What do you see in the

picture?

THE MARRIAGE OF GIOVANNI ARNOLFINI

AND GIOVANNA CENAMI

• Why this title?

• Because it was thought to be a form of ``wedding certificate'' for Giovanni Arnolfini and Giovanna Cenami, who married in Bruges in 1434.

• They are portrayed in the bedchamber of the home where they will live in Bruges, Flanders.

SOME INFORMAATION ABOUT THE PAINTING

What does the placement of the two figures suggest?

• It suggests conventional 15th century views of marriage and gender roles:

• the woman stands near the bed and well into the room, symbolic of her role as the caretaker of the house,

• whereas Giovanni stands near the open window, symbolic of his role in the outside world.

• Giovanni looks directly out at the viewer, his wife looks obediently at her husband. She does not look down at the floor, like lower class women would do, suggesting her equality to her husband.

Giovanna: the bride

• Her name: Giovanna

• Her surname: Cenami

• Giovanna’s father: a rich Italian merchant

• Her mother: a French lady

• Hometown: Paris

Giovanni: the groom

• Name: Giavanni• Surname: Arnolfini• Job: rich and powerful

Italian merchant who settled in Flanders.

• His RIGHT hand is vertically raised, representing his commanding position of authority.

Objects in the painting

• The clogs• The convex mirror• The breed dog• The medallions around the mirror’s frame• The rosary• The seven branched chandelier • The oranges

Objects in the painting• The clogs = gli zoccoli• The convex mirror = lo specchio convesso• A breed dog = un cane di razza• The medallions around the mirror’s frame = I medaglioni attorno alla cornice dello specchio• The brush = la scopina• The rosary = il rosario• The seven branched chandelier = Il candeliere a sette bracci• The oranges

The mirror and medallions

Mirror on the back wallInscription, the rosary and the brush

• The mirror is painted with great skill. In the frame there are ten miniature medallions depicting scenes from the life of Christ. Yet more remarkable is the mirror's reflection, which includes van Eyck's own tiny self-portrait, accompanied by another man, maybe the official witness to the ceremony.

Almost every detail can be interpreted as a symbol…Jan Van Eyck added the

little dog when he had already finished the

painting.

Notice that the dog is placed

at Giovanna's feet. A common name

given to a dog is "Fido", based on

the Latin root fid, meaning "fidelity"

or "faith."

1) The dog

2) The chandelier …

… with the candle

• The chandelier only has one candle, burning even in bright daylight. In 15th century Christian marriage ceremonies, a single "marriage candle" was carried in the bridal procession and then placed in the couple's nuptial chamber. The candle may also be a religious symbol, representing the all-seeing eye of God.

3) The fruit

• The fruit on the window ledge (an apple) stand for our fall from Paradise.

• The oranges on the table probably stand for fertility, or they might suggest the wealth of the couple.

4) The clogs

• The clogs probably signify the sanctity

of marriage.

SIGNS OF WEALTHThe interior is richly decorated. • Look at the chandelier, the

mirror, the bed-hangings, the carvings on the chair and the bench against the back wall.

• Another sign of wealth is the small Oriental carpet on the floor by the bed.

• Observe GIOVANNA’s hand. It’s in a low, horizontal pose which means submission.

The bed

• The Arnolfini Wedding is believed to be the first painting of a civil wedding ceremony. The wedding does not take place in the church, but in a chamber of a home. The bed is behind Giovanna and is richly draped in red cloth.

SIGNATURE AND DATE

• The painting is also signed and dated on the wall above the mirror: "Johannes de eyck fuit hic. 1434"

• ("Jan van Eyck was here. 1434").