Top 3 Famous Paintings by Jan Van Eyck

1. Portrait of a man with a blue chaperone by Jan van Eyck. This painting, done around 1430, depicts a man in a blue chaperone, or hood, holding a ring. Done in what we would recognize as a typical portrait style, though a very innovative style at the time, the subject's gaze is focused on the side of the viewer. Sometimes referred to as portrait of a jeweler, or man with a ring, the work is very small and the subject is not identified. The ring in the man's hand was originally believed to signify his profession, but later scholars have come to believe it may, in fact, be an engagement ring. There was also controversy over the years as to whether the work was actually done by van Eyck or not, but modern imaging techniques have shown that the work is van Eyck's signature style. If you have enjoyed the video so far, we would really appreciate it if you would subscribe to our channel. Let's know if you want more videos like this, by hitting the like button, now back to the video. 2. Saint Francis Receiving the Stigmata by Jan van Eyck. This work is another unsigned piece, this time, with a religious theme. It depicts Saint Francis of Assisi receiving Christ's stigmata, the wounds of the crucifixion, on his own hands and feet. This painting highlights van Eyck's signature realism, in the portraits of Saint Francis and his assistant brother Leo, and the landscape background. There are actually two nearly identical panels with this painting, one much larger than the other. Although the evidence is circumstantial, the general consensus is that both panels were done by van Eyck sometime between 1430 and 1432. 3. Crucifixion and Last Judgment by Jan van Eyck. This work is a diptych, with the left panel depicting the crucifixion and the right portraying the last judgment. The work is mainly credited to van Eyck, and is thought to be completed in the early 1430s, although, it's believed that members of van Eyck's workshop finished some areas of the panel after his death. Quite small in size, 56.5 x 19.7 centimeters, it's thought to have been commissioned to be an object for private devotion. Some historians believe that the work may have originally been a triptych, with a third panel possibly portraying the nativity.