The Virgin of the Chancellor Rolin (detail) 1436

Jan van Eyck painted this oil on wood panel, The Virgin of Chancellor Rolin, sometime around 1435, and it now resides in the Louvre. The dominant visual experience is one of texture and scale. Notice the cracked skin of the infant Jesus, juxtaposed with the miniature yet elaborate city behind him. The jewel-toned cross and clasp that the baby Jesus holds glimmers with reflected light, hinting at an almost tangible density. Van Eyck masterfully manipulates scale to create a world where the divine is intimately connected with the earthly. His use of oil paint allowed for the precise rendering of textures and details, inviting viewers into a deeper consideration of material presence. This contrasts with the backdrop, where the city’s inhabitants become anonymous, their individuality subsumed into the overall design. The painting's lasting impact stems not just from its religious subject matter, but from the way it engages with broader themes of space, perception, and the relationship between the human and the divine.