Reflections on van Eyck: The Meaning of Mirrors in Portraiture

Mirrors in paintings have many connotations. Mirrors can extend the pictorial space, reveal hidden imagery, represent social and cultural value, or function symbolically. This project focuses on the convex mirror in Jan van Eyck\u27s The Arnolfini Portrait (1434) and considers its influence on Diego Velázquez\u27s Las Meninas (1656). Van Eyck places the mirror centrally in the composition, showing his reflection below the unusual display of a signature on the wall and inviting interpretation and comparison between the portrait and mirror. Over two centuries later, van Eyck\u27s innovations, including the mirror motif, inspired Velázquez\u27s inclusion of a central mirror next to a self-portrait. This research examines the significance of mirrors in van Eyck\u27s and Velázquez\u27s portraits, situating them within the context of other paintings with mirrors created between 1434 and 1656, to help determine their broader appeal