marite's review
3.0
Annet hvert kapittel er viet elementer i maleriet/eierne av dobbeltportrettet. Forfatteren har gjort svært grundig research, og beskrivelsen av livet til spesielt de første eierne er spesielt interessant. Detaljene i bildet er spennende, men jeg savnet en bildegjengivelse av disse.
msmandrake's review
3.0
This book is meticulously researched, it merits five stars in that respect. It is everything you could possibly want to know about this painting and then some. And then some more. And then a bunch MORE. Probably 80% of it is not about the actual painting, but the life stories of its owners and general history of their time, any artist influenced by it or Van Eyck in general, anyone who bought a postcard of it at the National Gallery, oh wait, I exaggerate, but at times it seemed like that. If you really feel the need to know that the Duke of Burgundy hung it in the upstairs left hallway of Pockenpooken Manor in 1741, or whatever, I made that up, by all means, read away, you will be fascinated. Otherwise, just go with the Wikipedia entry. It contains DETAIL PHOTOS, which this book did not, a curious omission.
barrypierce's review
3.0
Whereas most art history books tend to cover a movement or an era in art, Carola Hicks’ Girl in a Green Gown (2011) is about a single painting. The Arnolfini Portrait by Jan van Eyck is one of the most recognisable paintings in the world. I’ve visited it a couple of times in the National Gallery in London. It’s truly a masterpiece. Carola Hicks’ book deconstructs Van Eyck’s painting by alternating between the history of the Dutch empire and the symbolism that drenches the work.
I did enjoy this book overall. However there are some points where it just becomes as dry as talcum powder. The painting has an interesting history in that we know exactly who has owned it since its creation and Hicks follows the painting, person by person, to give its personal history. This way by far the most interesting aspect to me. The chapters which focus on the painting are kind like of Symbolism 101 with even the most beginner art historian being insulted with the utter spoon-feeding. I would recommended this book for beginners, it goes in-depth without becoming meticulous and leads you through an important era in European history.
I did enjoy this book overall. However there are some points where it just becomes as dry as talcum powder. The painting has an interesting history in that we know exactly who has owned it since its creation and Hicks follows the painting, person by person, to give its personal history. This way by far the most interesting aspect to me. The chapters which focus on the painting are kind like of Symbolism 101 with even the most beginner art historian being insulted with the utter spoon-feeding. I would recommended this book for beginners, it goes in-depth without becoming meticulous and leads you through an important era in European history.
lydia_reads's review
3.0
Knowing more than I do about art history and painting technique would be helpful with this one. But nevertheless an interesting book about a very interesting painting.
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