Jan van Eyck (1390 – 1441) was such a remarkably gifted artist, the invention of oil painting was once attributed to him. Although van Eyck did not invent the medium, his use of oils to express rich colors and nuanced details was unprecedented. Meticulously realistic, van Eyck’s pieces were resplendent in texture, atmospheric light and dimension. He served as the court artist for Count John of Holland and Duke Philip of Burgundy, and was commissioned by wealthy Italian residents of the Netherlands. Van Eyck’s superlative works are displayed in numerous esteemed museums, including the Louvre, London’s National Gallery and Washington, D.C.’s National Gallery of Art.

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