His Achievements, Career and his Works.
Internationally regarded as the greatest painter of his day, Jan van Eyck (d.1441) was an innovative and technically brilliant observer of reality in an era when naturalism was becoming the goal of every artist. His paintings still astonish on account of their dazzling evocations of textiles, metalwork and distant landscapes, and their sophisticated illusionism, as well as for their sheer ingenuity and virtuosity. This lecture discusses Van Eyck’s achievements, his career at the Burgundian court and his clientele in Bruges, and surveys his works, including the celebrated Ghent Altarpiece, and the so-called Arnolfini Marriage in the National Gallery .
Image: Detail from Jan Van Eyck The Arnolfini Portrait 1434. The National Gallery
Paula Nuttall
Specialist in Renaissance art, both Italian and northern European, on which she has published widely, notably From Flanders to Florence: the Impact of Netherlandish Painting 1400-1500 (Yale, 2004). Has collaborated on major exhibitions including Jan van Eyck: an Optical Revolution (Ghent, 2020). Before retiring in 2023 Paula was Director of the V&A Medieval and Renaissance Year Course, and has taught at – among others – the Courtauld Institute and the British Institute of Florence. She now focuses on the Arts Society, her own online courses, and research.
OTHER EVENTS
Society
Jo Walton
13 Oct 2026 - 10:45
Brighthelm Centre
North Street
North Street
Online Event
Society
Mrs Mariska Beekenkamp-Wladimiroff
27 Oct 2026 - 10:30
Brighthelm Centre
North Road
North Road
Online Event
A special interest day of three lectures on Floral Worlds: From Botanical Study to Dutch Masterpieces