Dimensions
159 x 218 x 14mm
What makes The Arnolfini Portrait by Jan van Eyck one of the best-known and reproduced works of art in the world? Exactly what mystery do we happen upon when we tiptoe into a houses' most private room, the bridal chamber? One by one, we stumble across hidden, unexpected details, meticulously reproduced thanks to the sensational realism of the painter's lens. Within the modest dimensions of an "intimate" scene, the artist manages to condense a microcosm of the universe and a study of daylight, and invites us almost physically into the room. The convex mirror painted on the back wall, a marvellous contrivance that enlarges the space and the figures, turns us into actors instead of spectators, magically transported into that timeless room. Finally, who are the personages portrayed? Are they really the Arnolfini couple? AUTHOR: Stefano Zuffi was born in 1961 in Milan. After graduating in History of Medieval and Modern Art at the University of Milan and in Museology and Museography at Milan Polytechnic, he began a career as an editorial and scientific consultant in art history. He has authored over 60 books for various publishers, some of which have been translated into several languages. He also contributes to cultural magazines and radio and is a screenwriter for documentaries. SELLING POINTS: ? The Art Mysteries series examines several highly regarded masterpieces in an attempt to unravel the mysteries that surround them. Edited by Marco Carminati and Stefano Zuffi, they present an up-to-date and spectacular reading of famous paintings, investigating key clues to previously unknown background information. ILLUSTRATIONS: 22 colour
