Mirrors in Pre-Raphaelite paintings | Reflections: Van Eyck and the Pre-Raphaelites

The convex mirror at the heart of van Eyck’s ‘Arnolfini Portrait’ intrigued the Pre-Raphaelites; this film explores its link with the recent invention of daguerreotypes, and Victorian trends in interior design.
Reflections: Van Eyck and The Pre-Raphaelites
2 October 2017 - 2 April 2018
Sunley Room
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Discover how van Eyck’s 'Arnolfini Portrait' was one of the beacons by which the Pre-Raphaelites forged a radical new style of painting.
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Acquired by the National Gallery in 1842, the Arnolfini Portrait informed the Pre-Raphaelites’ belief in empirical observation, their ideas about draughtsmanship, colour and technique, and the ways in which objects in a picture could carry symbolic meaning.
The exhibition will bring together for the first time the 'Arnolfini Portrait' with paintings from the Tate collection and loans from other museums, to explore the ways in which Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1828-1882), Sir John Everett Millais (1829-1896) and William Holman Hunt (1827-1910), among others, were influenced by the painting in their work.
This exhibition is organised by the National Gallery in collaboration with Tate Britain.
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The National Gallery houses the national collection of paintings in the Western European tradition from the 13th to the 19th centuries. The museum is free of charge and open 361 days per year, daily between 10.00 am - 6.00 pm and on Fridays between 10.00 am - 9.00 pm.
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[@WolfeTone66]

Beautiful soft voices help the brain absorb information so much easier...Thank you

[@SG-ct2tb]

The convex mirror reminds me of the fisheye lense HYPE WILLIAMS used in the iconic videos he directed for Missy Elliott, Diffusion, Janet Jackson, Busta Rhymes etc As someone interested in animism, neo-materialism, object oriented ontology, it is fascinating to objects make their way through time and through space: From a 1434 painting, to 1848 paintings and living rooms, to 1990's music videos. This is central to my reflections on capitalism, desire, identity and consumerism.

[@SG-ct2tb]

Through centuries and different communities, the fascination and appeal for the convex mirror effect remains the same.

[@lynnblack6493]

What a great exhibition it would have been. Love trying to figure out the image in mirror...

[@thomasrainbow]

Not to mention Van Eyck and other dutch masters like Vermeer actually used the convex mirror and other devices such as the camera obscura to actually project the image and paint it to make it looks so perfect.

[@josemontane2338]

Exactly

[@RocLobo358]

Van Eyck would not have had a camera obscura. It hadn't been invented yet. He would have had other optical and magnification tools though

[@catlvr-kg9ol]

There’s no evidence of Van Eyck using a camera obscura? People have found visible pin holes in his paintings suggesting that he used orthogonals and linear perspective to achieve perfect proportions

[@sembat7852]

Lesbianism

[@CuongN24]

Gross

[@artjaehee]

너무 도움됩니다 thanks a lot

[@melanieohara6941]

Mirror, Mirror on the wall.....😚

[@rembvanrijn]

Fascinating exposition of artistic influence over the course of four centuries.

[@mazzolajewelleryandgallery2100]

Great video

[@alpuck1]

fascinating

[@alvaro.martinez]

Gotta love these British accents.

[@andyrobinson2653]

Álvaro M. H. One was American. Haha

[@spaxful]

What is the name of the painting at 0:26 sec?

[@chrisedwick]

Typically of the National Gallery it assumes I'm so stupid I can't concentrate on a subject for more than 4 minutes.

[@alvaro.martinez]

I agree, I wish these videos were longer.

[@gavinreid8351]

Little nuggets of gold.

[@kirschrot77]

This video is an introduction an exhibition , so it is short, to entice you to go to said exhibition, if you want longer videos, watch longer videos, your comment is supremely stupid

[@trueamnisias]

Actually, not at all typical of National Gallery videos, as they are normally 30 min or 1 hour talks.