Saturday, October 18, 2025

Portrait of Cardinal Niccolò Albergati by Jan van Eyck (1431)

Amazing.

I saw this Jan van Eyck painting in Vienna’s Kunsthistorisches Museum earlier this year.

As with the self-portrait, the Northern Renaissance developed the three-quarters turned-view portraits in the early 15th century for a sense of engagement. Before the Italians.

I love the aging cardinal’s features - wrinkles around eyes, creases on earlobes etc. The realism - through successive layers of oil colours - gives a touching personality and intimacy to the cardinal.

A wonderful work of art.


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A sense of unease around his lips? Eyebrows furrowed. 
Eyes a bit strained?
The earlobes are fascinating.
I love the wisps of thin hair on his head.

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