Jan van Eyck - Madonna and Child at the Fountain 1439
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Madonna and Child at the Fountain 1439
19x12cm oil on wood
Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp, Belgium
<< Previous G a l l e r y Next >>
From Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp:
Mary cherishes her newborn son in a garden, secluded from the outside world. For the fifteenth-century faithful, this scene was a religious icon of compassion, solace and security. It was therefore a popular theme in the art of the Flemish Primitives. Jan van Eyck, whose fame extended far beyond the boundaries of the Low Countries, represented it in sublime fashion. He adorned his Madonna in a wonderful blue robe, a symbol of regality and fidelity. Behind her, two angels are holding a cloth of honour with flower and animal motifs. The garden around the virgin and child also has a symbolic meaning. It stands for the immaculate conception of Mary. The bronze fountain in the foreground represents the Mother of God as a source of life. The painting's astonishing technical brilliance and detail make it a fine example of van Eyck's absolute mastership. He represents the pinnacle of miniature painting and illumination in Europe's cultural centres of the fifteenth century.