If I Could Have My Portrait Done by Any Artist

I woke up early today, and decided to take a walk. It was a nice day, especially for this time of year in Bruges. The city seemed quieter now. When I was a boy I could remember the bustling commerce on the Zwin channel. Even then it was no match for how it had been in the golden era centuries ago. Today the water way is almost entirely blocked from years of natural silting and deposition. What was once our means of prosperity through trade is now an old reminder of our city's past.

As I walked along the old water channels, I thought about my previous day's encounter. What a strange man, an artist and an alchemist! Could he really capture the skills of any artist? What about those Italians, with their humanistic themes? Could he paint like them? Or could he make grand sculptures, or create vivid stained glass like in the old cathedrals? Perhaps he did posses the key to do all of this. This would be too great of an opportunity to pass up, so I must at least give him a chance. The thought of death has been with me for some time now, and I can't afford to go any longer without ensuring a part of me will survive. I want to be remembered as a great man, one who was smart and adventurous. I have seen and accomplished many things in my life, and I want that to be captured in a physical sense. How am I going to decide which artist I want to honor me? In my travels I have seen some amazing artistic beauty, with such great detail and meaning. It will be a great challenge in deciding which artist I feel will best accurately capture my spirit. It is important that my future generations can feel a connection with me by only looking at a work of art.

As I continued walking, I eventually made my way to the home of the mystical artist. A small place near town square, it blended in with the other buildings. A small sign stating "timeless art" hung on the door. As I entered, I was greeted by the artist, a man named Hans. He was a simple man, who had an aura of eagerness and excitement. As we made our way into his work room, I chuckled to myself as I saw cups of potions on one side, and cups of paint brushes on the other. He asked me if I had decided on which artist and style I would prefer. Staying true to my heritage, I wished to choose an artist who was from the north. Perhaps an artist from the Northern Renaissance, one who shared my admiration for infinite detail, would suffice. After restless deliberation, I set my mind on having my portrait done by the hand of Jan van Eyck. Just upon mentioning his name, Hans' eyes lit up. He was impressed with my choice, and was delighted for the opportunity. Before he could begin his work, Hans wanted to know something. Why van Eyck? It was a simple question that required a detailed explanation. He wanted to make sure I could appreciate and recognize good art. I couldn't just say I liked van Eyck's style; rather I had to compare him to two other artists, and point out what made him the best.

There were many reasons why I chose van Eyck. Although he died nearly a century before I lived, his art is still very popular and influential. He was one of the very first artists to use oil based paints, which allowed him to use vibrant colors and paint with unheard of detail (Spielvogel, Page 223). In all of his paintings, van Eyck goes into incredible detail to make the picture as realistic as possible. Sticking with the religious themes of the Renaissance, every single detail has a religious importance. In addition to religion, van Eyck was able to tie in modern themes as well. This is important because it is very reflective of how things are now, both a combination of new and old thought. Both of these themes were portrayed by including every social class in the paintings. In my own travels I have had interactions with people from all levels of society, from powerful church figures, to the regular specialized workers. I want my portrait to capture the time period, as well as my own place in society. I would also like my painting to be a depiction of my travels, with an outdoors setting. Van Eyck was excellent at creating realistic settings due to his use of depth and sizing. In his famous painting of the Virgin Mary and English Chancellor Rolin, van Eyck displays his abilities to create perspective (Web Gallery of Art). The people in the picture are life size, and have such realistic expressions. As objects move further away, they become smaller, creating a realistic sense of depth perception. This is especially well done with the mountains, as they become small and hazy as they become distant. The entire painting is done with such great detail, whether it is the fur on Rolin's coat, or the villages on the hillsides, or the stained glass, or the floor patters, that it looks so realistic. Even simple paintings were filled with such great detail. For example, "Man in the Turban" is a sole portrait with no background scenes (Web Gallery of Art). However, there is such amazing detail on the man's face that it is astonishing. There is emotion in the painting as the man's face tells a story. This man appears wise and knowledgeable, yet as if he is searching for something, just based off the detail of the facial expression.

Not only do I want my portrait to remind my family of my life, but I want others to know my family name. If I have an artist as talented as van Eyck do my portrait, my face could be seen throughout the world. People would want a glimpse of my portrait because of its artistic beauty and brilliance, and without knowing helping my legacy extend into the ages. So what if I'm just a merchant. The last time van Eyck painted a merchant it became his most famous painting. I'm talking of course about the great painting, the "Arnolfini Wedding" (Web Gallery of Art). Ironic enough, this Italian merchant settled in my hometown of Bruges, where a portrait was done of him and his wife (Spielvogel, Page 224). What made this painting so great was van Eyck's ridiculous attention to detail and religious symbolism. The clothing of the couple is indicative of the time period, and possesses great detail, with the fur on the husband's coat, and the wavy patterns on the wife's dress. While the setting of the room appears simple, everything there has a meaning. In the background there is a mirror, which amazingly reflects the room, and serves as a religious symbol of the Ten Commandments. Other symbolic aspects include the chandelier, the dog, the bed, and even the wife. Whether the wife is pregnant or not remains a mystery, with many theories revolving around a symbolic pregnancy.

I continued to explain to Hans that I wanted a magnificently detailed portrait, filled with deep symbolism and meaning. I wanted a portrait that captured my adventurous and bold spirit. Fine detail could capture my personality, where perspective landscape could realistically depict me out in the real world. By adding religious and modern symbolism, centuries from now people will understand my connection with old values as well as new ones. Not only did I want something for my bloodline to cherish, but also I wanted to be the center of artistic appreciation for years to come. Hans seemed impressed, but was not totally satisfied. He said I still needed to show why van Eyck was the best through comparison.

I did not want Hans to think I was only in favor of northern art, since this was not the case. I had traveled many times to Italy, and have a great appreciation for Italian Renaissance art. Of all the Italian artists, I feel the most accomplished was none other than Michelangelo. His unique style and approach made him truly in a class of his own. Getting his start in sculpting, he felt it was his duty to free a sculpture rather than to create it. Hans seemed a bit confused. He understood that I wanted to be remembered as a great man, but yet I did want to be sculpted by the greatest sculptor there was. I used Michelangelo's famous sculpture "David" as an example. Created in 1504 as a symbol of Florence's victory, this enormous statue stood for power and strength (Web Gallery of Art). However, it would not make sense for this type of statue to represent me and my life. First off, I am certainly not a biblical hero who had a great victory. Also, the sculpture was done in a very classical way, reflecting the themes of Rome and Greece. I am just a simple northern merchant, and my connection with the ancient civilizations is far. Jan van Eyck painted in style that was reflective of the north, from clothing to architecture, as well as landscape. Right away it would be easy to tell where I am from if van Eyck did my portrait.

I also feel like Michelangelo's magnificent painting style would not suit my portrait best. Looking at arguably his finest artwork, the walls and ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Rome, it is clear Michelangelo had a unique way of painting. Every scene in his extensive collage of pictures was a biblical story with literal meaning (Web Gallery of Art). Again, there are a few reasons why his style would not best reflect my life. First off, he painted each figure very bulky, with almost perfect proportions, which is meant to be a reflection of divine beauty (Spielvogel, Page 223). This again shows a connection with Ancient Greece, and their belief in human perfection. Since I am not Greek, nor do I look this way, it would be unfitting for my future generations to remember me that way. Furthermore, Michelangelo took everything very literal, and painted in a manner that reflected this. I would like my portrait to have a little bit of symbolism, and make those who look at it to find the hidden meanings that reveal aspects of my personality and my life. While Michelangelo is certainly a brilliant artist, van Eyck has the vision and style I am looking for.

Satisfied with my comparison, Hans wanted to know why I hadn't chosen another northern artist. Certainly there were plenty to choose from, but I wanted none other than van Eyck. While there were many other talented artists who painted in the northern themes, there were a few that I certainly would not want to hire for a personal portrait. One such artist in particular was Hieronymous Bosch. His paintings were based on the themes of punishment and the eventual end of humanity and the world. This coincided with the northern idea that people were generally bad and needed guidance. In almost every one of Bosch's paintings, there were extensive images that hinted at death and consequences. In his piece, the "Death and the Miser", Bosch shows the end is coming and your sins will eventually catch up with you (Web Gallery of Art). I do not want my portrait done in such a negative manner. Instead of a piece that teaches individuals to live their lives accordingly, I want something my future generations can connect with. Van Eyck paints in a more positive light, showing optimism and opportunity. Another piece done in the same negative way was "The Hay Wagon Triptych", in which the negativity of human nature is shown (Web Gallery of Art). My life was one of trade and sharing, and this painting of greed and violence is not something I want to represent me. Looking at some of Bosch's other pieces, there is too much occurring at one time. In his piece, "The Garden of Earthly Delights Triptych", there are endless interactions of people performing different actions (Web Gallery of Art). I feel I would be just another face in the crowd if I was painted in this style. While his attention to detail and human nature are amazing, it all blends together. Additionally, there are parts to this painting that are downright strange. In a scene that presumably represents hell, there are numerous creatures that act to deliver punishment onto humans. Bosch had quite the imagination, and used wild images to represent earthly themes of human nature and consequences. I prefer the way van Eyck used real objects for symbolism, rather than strange fantasies. It is easier for an individual to connect and understand a painting if they can recognize the objects and settings. While Bosch is certainly an imaginative and talented artist, his strengths do not lie in personal portraits.

As I finished explaining to Hans how I did not care for the style of Bosch, he got up and went over to his collection of potions. After a few seconds of searching, he selected one and turned towards me. He was well satisfied with both my choice and my reasoning. Wanting to honor my traditions, I had chosen a northern artist who was able to use a combination of extensive detail and deep symbolism. No other artist would be able to capture my spirit and my life more effectively than van Eyck, and I was about to have the honor of him doing my portrait. Hans and I talked for awhile about my life, so he could get a feel for what he would do. After a while, he disappeared into another room with the potion. Moments later he appeared, physically unchanged, but with a different demeanor. He assured me the potion had taken effect, and he wanted to get to work. He only needed me for a little bit, in order to capture the essence of my personality. After he had finished my body, he said he would finish the rest on his own. He was the genius, not me, so I left all the final decisions to him. I paid him and left in confidence that my portrait would be perfect.

About five weeks later, I got a note saying my portrait had been completed. I rushed to see Hans and the final product. After some casual conversation, he took me to my portrait. I could not believe my eyes. Everything about the painting was visually breathtaking. The painting showed me standing amidst a crowded marketplace, trading goods from around the world. In the background there was a mountainside with homes, as well as a large Church. Each item for trade that I possessed was from a different location, and each had specific meaning. Surrounding me were a few children, symbolic of my fatherhood, and some animals, showing peace and tranquility. The clothing of every individual was of the style of wealthy northern Europe, showing great detail of color and texture. My face itself showed confidence and experience, as well as kindness. I was astonished at the overall attention to detail of the painting. Everything that was in there had its place and it would take some time to truly understand its full meaning. This portrait surely exceeded my expectations, and I was finally at ease knowing a part of me would always survive. Thanks to the artistic genius of Jan van Eyck, as well as the scientific genius of Hans, I now had one of the greatest portraits there had ever been. Source List

Spielvogel, J. (2005). The Artistic Renaissance. Western Civilization. Page 223

Spielvogel, J. (2005). The Northern Artistic Renaissance. Western Civilization. Page 223-224

Web Gallery of Art. Death and the Miser. Hieronymous Bosch

Web Gallery of Art. The Garden of Earthly Delights Triptych. Hieronymous Bosch

Web Gallery of Art. The Hay Wagon Triptych. Hieronymous Bosch

Web Gallery of Art. Arnolfini Wedding. Jan van Eyck

Web Gallery of Art. The Virgin and Chancellor Rolin. Jan van Eyck

Web Gallery of Art. Man in the Turban. Jan van Eyck

Web Gallery of Art. David. Michelangelo

Web Gallery of Art. Sistine Chapel. Michelangelo