What type of portrait is this ?
A double portrait
What is Mr Arnolfini's hat made from ?
Straw
What is the name of the circlular features surrounding the mirror?
roundels
What is special about the object hanging from the wall next to the mirror ?
The string of amber beads is a paternoster ( rosary) amber was a symbol of wealth
What 12 images are used to adorn the mirror in the background?
Stations of the Cross
What is important about the chandelier?
2 x candles, 1 x snuffed out - symbol of wealth
What is the name given to the layered textiles on the dress ?
Dagging
What object sits on the floor beneath the shoes under the bed ?
Rug , symbol of ornamentation and wealth , trade
What is significant about the painting of Arnolfini's right hand ?
Infrared shows it was redrawn and changed
What are the clogs/ shoes called in the foreground?
Pattens ( raised to keep away from mud)
What is the writing on the wall?
His signature 'Jan Van Eyck was here'
What is the figure on the carved seat?
Saint Martha, the patroness of housewives. From the bedpost hangs a brush, symbolic of domestic duties.
What is important about what the female has on her head?
Headress - indicates marriage , wealth of lace
What could the hand positioning indicate?
hand positioning is contested - marriage ? A contract ?
What is the name for the domed mirror in the background ?
convex
What material adorns the cuffs of the female figure ?
Ermine and miniver ( squirrel fur)
What could the dog represent in the foreground?
The little dog may symbolize fidelity (fido), loyalty or alternatively lust, signifying the couple's desire to have a child
What object is on the windowsill and what does it symbolise?
Virtue and wealth