Portrait of a Man in a Red Turban, Jan Van Eyck:
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Portrait of a Man in a Red Turban by Jan van Eyck Analysis, Interpretation of Flemish Renaissance Oil Painting MAIN A-Z INDEX

Man in a Red Turban.By Jan van Eyck.Considered to be one of theGreatest Paintings Ever.

ContentsDescription • Analysis and Interpretation • Further Resources

Description Painting : Portrait of a Man in a Red Turban Date : 1433 Artist : Jan van Eyck (1390-1441) Medium : Oil on wood panel Genre : Portrait art Movement : Flemish Renaissance Museum : National Gallery, London.

For the meaning of other masterpieces, see: Famous Paintings Analyzed.

Best PortraitsFor the best portraits, see:Greatest Portrait Paintings.

Art EducationTo understand 15th centuryFlemish painters likeJan van Eyck, seeour educational essays:Art Evaluation:How to Appreciate Art and also:How to Appreciate Paintings.

This famous Flemish painting, known officially as Portrait of a Man, but commonly referred to as Man in a Red Turban, or Portrait of a Man in a Red Turban, is one of several famous panel paintings by the Flemish painter Jan Van Eyck (1390-1441), one of the foremost pioneers of the early Netherlandish Renaissance. Supposedly a self-portrait, it is believed to have been purchased by Thomas Howard, Earl of Arundel, during his period of exile in Antwerp around 1644, before being acquired by the National Gallery in London, in 1851. Along with Van Eyck’s other masterpieces – such as The Ghent Altarpiece (1432, Cathedral of St Bavo, Ghent), The Arnolfini Portrait (1434, National Gallery, London), and The Madonna/Virgin of Chancellor Rolin (1435, Louvre, Paris) – Portrait of a Man in Red Turban is one of the most famous examples of Northern Renaissance art of the 15th century.

Self-Portrait Jan Van Eyck’s Man in Red Turban was first described as a self-portrait in 1655, although this view was not unanimous and the identification remains tentative. The inscription at the top of the frame has been cited as strong evidence in favour. It reads "Als Ich Can" (as I/Eyck can) – which is a pun on the painter’s name. Van Eyck apparently depicted himself in two other works; he seems to be reflected in the mirror in the Arnolfini Marriage (1434, National Gallery, London) and in the shield of St George in The Madonna Of Cannon Van Der Paele (1436, Musee Communal Des Beaux-Arts, Bruges).

Whether it is a self-portrait or not, the man – whoever he is – is not actually wearing a turban, but a chaperon – with its ends tied across the top. Similar headgear can be seen in the background of Van Eyck’s Madonna of Chancellor Rolin – another alleged self-portrait.

Oil Painting Technique Van Eyck’s technical contribution to the art of oil painting – notably his meticulous use of thin layers of transparent colour pigments for maximum luminosity – made possible the precise optical effects and mirror-like polish that make this portrait so lifelike. Note, for example, the effects of the two-toned stubble or the capillaries on the white surface of the left eye. His use and application of colour has been commented on by numerous artists and critics: here, for instance, the white colour of the eye is mixed with tiny amounts of red and blue. A very thin layer of red is dragged over this underlayer, but in such a way as to leave the underlayer exposed in several places. The iris of the eye is painted ultramarine – with additions of white and black towards the pupil, which is painted in black over the blue of the iris. The main highlights are four touches of lead white – one on the iris and three on the white.

The variation of focus between the two eyes suggests that Van Eyck, may have used a mirror to create this image: his right eye is slightly blurred around the edges, appearing to be only passivly engaged in sight, while the outline of the left eye is clearly delineated and focused on a specific object. This effect probably resulted from the artist observing himself in the mirror; when viewing oneself from an angle both eyes cannot be seen simultaneously.

Through his control of the medium, Van Eyck becomes ineffably present in the image, if not through his physical likeness, then through the way in which he alone has the skill to render invisible the mark of each brushstroke.