NATIONAL GALLERY, Annunciation By Jan Van Eyck

Jan van Eyck is the most important exponent of Flemish painting, yet we know very little about him, so much so that not even his date of birth is certain, which is believed to be between 1390 and 1400.

This painting called “The Annunciation” depicts the proclamation by the Archangel Gabriel to Mary that she was to be the virgin mother to the son of God. The setting is the Temple of Jerusalem, where, in the Middle Ages, it was believed that Mary worked as an embroiderer. The painting combines photographic realism–obtained via the meticulous attention to detail that is typical to all Flemish paintings, and van Eyck’s work in particular–with refined symbolism.

The temple, in Romanesque Gothic style, is decorated with themes that belong solely to the Old Testament, while famous scenes, such as Samson and Delilah and David and Goliath are depicted on the floor tiles.

You will no doubt have noticed the realism of the stunning windows. The extraordinary painting technique displayed by van Eyck, however, reaches its peak in the cloak of the archangel, which is considered to be a genuine masterpiece of virtuosity....