The Madonna in the Church 1439

Jan van Eyck made "The Madonna in the Church" using oil on panel, probably sometime in the 1430s. Van Eyck’s oil painting technique allowed for unprecedented realism, with the textures of fabric and light rendered in meticulous detail. Note the deep blue of the Virgin’s robe, likely made from costly ultramarine pigment derived from lapis lazuli, a stone imported from Central Asia. This highlights the expense and labour that underpinned the making of the painting, reflective of the economics of the period. Van Eyck was one of the first to exploit the plasticity of oil paint, layering thin glazes to create luminous effects. This was a major innovation at the time. The precision required to build up the image demands not only advanced technical skill, but also extraordinary patience. Considering the material and the work involved, “The Madonna in the Church” encourages us to think about how artistic choices reflect the values and technologies of their time. Van Eyck elevates painting to a status previously reserved for sculpture or goldsmithing.