Analysis Of Jan Van Eyck s The Dutch And Flemish

The Renaissance was a time of rebirth, and evolution in artwork all around Europe. Up in the North, right behind the Italians, the Dutch and Flemish were gearing up for their own shift in artwork to surpass their neighbors. Following inspiration from their Italian neighbors, and the International Gothic style, they looked forward and redefined painting as a style, while also changing arts meaning. Making the characters true to life in artwork was a new feat never before seen until the High Renaissance in Italy. Jan Van Eyck took the Netherlands by storm by renovating the International Gothic style, and creating a more naturalistic style that spawned dozens of copiers, and inspired artists to strive for a more realistic, original view of the human body. He mastered both portrait artwork and religious altarpieces in a style of oil painting he invented. It conjured a movement of painting, which would soon change the European art scene as he passed away. Religious painting also took hit of Eyck’s artwork as it introduced the realism style religious figures in life-sized format. Jan van Eyck was a master of realism for the time period he lived in, and gave the north what Leonardo di Vinci gave to Italy. Renaissance artwork was groundbreaking because of its naturalistic style brought on by Jan van Eyck that created life like portraits, and dynamic story telling in altarpieces. Following the early Italian Renaissance, the Dutch decided to dip their feet in the pool of inspiration