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Girl in a Green Gown: The History and Mystery of the Arnolfini Portrait
by
Carola Hicks
The Arnolfini portrait, painted by Jan van Eyck in 1434, is one of the world's most famous paintings. It intrigues all who see it. Scholars and the public alike have puzzled over the meaning of this haunting gem of medieval art, a subtle and beautiful double portrait of a wealthy Bruges merchant and his wife.
The enigmatic couple seem to be conveying a message to us across...more
The enigmatic couple seem to be conveying a message to us across...more
Hardcover, 272 pages
Published
September 29th 2011
by Vintage
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It’s one of the most remarkable paintings in the whole of western art – it’s Jan Van Eyck’s Arnolfini Portrait, sometimes known as The Arnolfini Wedding, painted in 1434. It’s one of my favourite paintings, one of the great draws in London’s National Gallery.
It’s remarkable in two senses: for the freshness of Van Eyck’s vision, the intensity of the detail, for the range of objects that might mean something, might have some symbolic significance, or might mean nothing at all, other than that they...more
It’s remarkable in two senses: for the freshness of Van Eyck’s vision, the intensity of the detail, for the range of objects that might mean something, might have some symbolic significance, or might mean nothing at all, other than that they...more
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One of the great paintings of Western European art, the van Eyck portrait of the Anolfinis turns out, in the hands of Caola Hicks, to tell you everything you ever wanted to know about how Western Europe became the powerhouse of global civilisation.
This is essentially two separate books - one on the symbols and meanings within the picture itself, and the other on the complex history of an important historical artefact. The approach of interleaving these two lines of thought in alternate chapters...more
This is essentially two separate books - one on the symbols and meanings within the picture itself, and the other on the complex history of an important historical artefact. The approach of interleaving these two lines of thought in alternate chapters...more
This was my last f2f book club read and it was interesting as i don't know what we all thought the book was going to be like when we chose it.
Basically it is a history book wrapped up in a painting. We learn an amazing amount how people lived and the significance of what they wore and where and what they owned and how it was displayed during the 14th and 15th centuries, in this book. We also learn quite a bit about the politics of the era as this influenced everything from where items were sour...more
Basically it is a history book wrapped up in a painting. We learn an amazing amount how people lived and the significance of what they wore and where and what they owned and how it was displayed during the 14th and 15th centuries, in this book. We also learn quite a bit about the politics of the era as this influenced everything from where items were sour...more
Jan 06, 2013
Lyn Elliott
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Anyone interested in art history and the way paintings travel!
This book has been a great discovery
She has skilfully combined a close look at, and discussion of, all the elements of this beautiful, enigmatic work with snapshots of the social and political worlds in which it was painted and through which it travelled on its journeys from C15 Bruges to Hapsburg Spain then to England as booty from the Napoleonic wars and finally to the collection of the National Gallery in London.
Hicks is both an art expert and a historian of note - and she writes beautifully...more
She has skilfully combined a close look at, and discussion of, all the elements of this beautiful, enigmatic work with snapshots of the social and political worlds in which it was painted and through which it travelled on its journeys from C15 Bruges to Hapsburg Spain then to England as booty from the Napoleonic wars and finally to the collection of the National Gallery in London.
Hicks is both an art expert and a historian of note - and she writes beautifully...more
The Arnolfini Portrait is one of the nation's favourite paintings, and one of mine too, so I found much to enjoy in this book.
However, I should have liked to see a deeper study of the meaning of the mysterious elements in the painting both in explaining them to us in the 21st century in terms of the 15th century mind, and in exploring some of the theories put forward to explain the imagery of the painting. I would have settled for less about the provenance, so much of it speculative while it sp...more
However, I should have liked to see a deeper study of the meaning of the mysterious elements in the painting both in explaining them to us in the 21st century in terms of the 15th century mind, and in exploring some of the theories put forward to explain the imagery of the painting. I would have settled for less about the provenance, so much of it speculative while it sp...more
This had the peculiar effect of making me less interested in the picture, which I look at whenever I go to the National Gallery. It felt like a collection of student papers on various aspects of the painting, diligently researched but totally uninspired. It's difficult to understand why she chose this particular work to write a whole book about.
I am not sure if I will finish this one. Not because it is difficult, but because it appears to be a series of thin essays with the picture itself as the ostensible link. Perhaps it disappoints expectations, as I was looking forward to delving into the picture, whereas the picture fades out in significance after the first pages, leaving only a series of sketched on owners and the places and times they lived in.
A wonderfully discursive study of a great painting and its fascinating history. Makes me want to dash back to the National Gallery and spend the day in front of this enigmatic portrait.
Very interesting and complete analysis on this famous painting. Really enjoyable read.
Oct 16, 2011
g
marked it as to-read
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
art-history,
art-in-fiction
This was great, beautifully written and always fascinating. Each part of the famous portrait is examined, along with the history of the ownership and location of the painting for a period of almost 600 years.
Sadly the writer, Carola Hicks, was in the last stages of cancer when writing, and died as she was completing it. I like the way she didn't put forward controversial theories but remained cool and level headed as she recited the long history of the Arnolfini Portrait.
Sadly the writer, Carola Hicks, was in the last stages of cancer when writing, and died as she was completing it. I like the way she didn't put forward controversial theories but remained cool and level headed as she recited the long history of the Arnolfini Portrait.
Sep 29, 2011
Bettie
added it
Hardcover: 272 pages
Publisher: Chatto & Windus (29 Sep 2011)
ISBN-10: 0701183373
ISBN-13: 978-0701183370
Product Dimensions: 21.8 x 16.2 x 3 cm
Publisher: Chatto & Windus (29 Sep 2011)
ISBN-10: 0701183373
ISBN-13: 978-0701183370
Product Dimensions: 21.8 x 16.2 x 3 cm
Apr 22, 2013
Trish
marked it as to-read
Apr 21, 2013
Apollonia
marked it as to-read
Apr 18, 2013
Mariechristine
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
geschiedenis,
kunst
![GAD [Global Architectural Development]](http://d.gr-assets.com/users/1364202827p2/18703306.jpg)
Mar 25, 2013
GAD [Global Architectural Development]
added it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
none-architecture
Mar 23, 2013
Tracy
marked it as to-read
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