TheOldMastersPrintsArnolfini Portrait by Jan van Eyck: meaning, location and key facts
Arnolfini Portrait is an oil on oak panel by Jan van Eyck, painted in 1434. It measures 82.2 × 60 cm and is held at the National Gallery, London.
Key facts
| Artist | Jan van Eyck |
|---|---|
| Date | 1434 |
| Medium | Oil on oak panel |
| Dimensions | 82.2 × 60 cm (height × width) |
| Museum | National Gallery, London |
| Style | Flemish painting |
| Data source | Wikidata (Q220859) · Wikipedia |
What it shows
Giovanni di Nicolao Arnolfini, an Italian merchant living in Bruges, and his wife stand in a room. He raises his right hand; she gives him hers. Between them is a small dog; above, a chandelier with a single lit candle.
On the back wall a convex mirror reflects two more people in the doorway and is framed by ten tiny scenes of the Passion. Above it runs the inscription “Johannes de eyck fuit hic 1434”: Jan van Eyck was here.
Did you know?
- According to most historians the woman is not pregnant: she is holding up a voluminous skirt in the fashion of the time.
- The National Gallery in London acquired it in 1842.
- It is one of the first oil paintings with such precise detail that you can make out the dog’s hairs and reflections on the amber prayer beads.
Where to see the original
Arnolfini Portrait is at the National Gallery, London. Works are sometimes lent to exhibitions or taken down for restoration, so it is worth checking the museum’s website before you go.
Which print size to choose
The print keeps the proportions of the original: if they differ from the paper, the painting is centred with a white border and never cropped. More details in our size guide.
| A4 (21 × 29.7 cm) | shelves, desks and gallery walls |
|---|---|
| A3 (29.7 × 42 cm) | bedrooms, hallways and small walls |
| A2 (42 × 59.4 cm) | above a sideboard, chest of drawers or headboard |
| A1 (59.4 × 84.1 cm) | above the sofa or as a living-room centrepiece |
Prints are made to order in the Czech Republic and reach the EU in 3 to 8 days, with no customs. Canvases are made in the USA and take about 2 to 3 weeks, with EU VAT included in the price.
Frequently asked questions
- Where is Arnolfini Portrait?
- The original is held at the National Gallery, London.
- How big is Arnolfini Portrait?
- The original painting measures 82.2 × 60 cm (height × width).
- Who painted Arnolfini Portrait and when?
- It was painted by Jan van Eyck in 1434.
- Can I hang a reproduction of Arnolfini Portrait at home?
- Yes. The work is in the public domain, so it can be freely reproduced. We offer it as a matte print in A4, A3, A2, A1 (from €18.99) and as a ready-to-hang canvas (from €69.99), with free shipping to the EU.
Updated 21 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Message us through the shop and we will fix it.
