Jan
van Eyck is considered to be a founder of the Early Renaissance
style in the Northern Renaissance. Until 1425 Jan van
Eyck served at the court of Duke Johann of Bavaria in
Hague, painting and restoring pictures. After that, he
served at the court of Philip the Good of Burgundy, where
he was greatly valued not only as an artist, but he also
was entrusted by Duke with various diplomatic missions.
Since 1430 van Eyck lived and worked in Bruges as painter
to the court and city.
It was believed, that Jan van Eyck invented painting with
oils, maybe it is not true, but his technique in painting
with oils is exceptional. His paint is so transparent
that his works have a unique, almost luminous sheen. So
outstanding was his skill as an oil painter that the invention
of the medium was at one time attributed to him. Van Eyck
exploited the qualities of oil as never before, building
up layers of transparent glazes, thus giving him a surface
on which to capture objects in the minutest detail and
allowing for the preservation of his colours.
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