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The Three Marys at the Tomb

Jan van Eyck1425 - 1435

Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen

Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen
Rotterdam, Netherlands

After his death on the Cross, Christ was laid in a tomb and the entrance was sealed with a great stone. A day later, three of his followers, all women by the name of Mary, came to the tomb to anoint his body with spices. To their astonishment, the stone had been removed and the tomb was empty. An angel revealed that Jesus had risen. In the painting, the three Marys gaze at God’s messenger in wonder. The sentries are asleep and oblivious to what is taking place. The work is rendered in minute detail. A variety of plants can be seen in the foreground, the gleaming cuirass worn by one of the guards reflects the scene around him, and diminutive figures, visible only with the aid of a magnifying glass, stroll through the streets of Jerusalem, the city depicted in the background.

The attribution of the painting has given rise to some debate. It was long considered the work of Hubert van Eyck, Jan’s mysterious elder brother. However, it has also been credited to Jan, possibly in collaboration with Hubert. Though some believe it was executed only after their death, it can be dated with reasonable accuracy to the period 1425 to 1435. We will probably never know whether the brothers actually had a hand in it.

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  • Title: The Three Marys at the Tomb
  • Creator Lifespan: Jan van Eyck, circa 1390 / Hubert van Eyck, circa 1365 - Jan van Eyck, 1441 / Hubert van Eyck, 1426
  • Creator Nationality: Flemish
  • Creator Gender: Male(s)
  • Creator Death Place: Jan van Eyck-Bruges, Belgium / Hubert van Eyck-Gent, Belgium
  • Creator Birth Place: Jan van Eyck-Maaseik, Belgium / Hubert van Eyck-Maaseik, Belgium
  • Date Created: 1425 - 1435
  • Physical Dimensions: w900 x h715 cm (Without frame)
  • Painter(s): Hubert van Eyck or Jan van Eyck or both
  • Original Title: De drie Maria's aan het graf
  • Artist Information (Artist #2): Hubert (c. 1366-1426) was the elder of the Van Eyck brothers, but nothing is known of his life. He probably worked in Ghent. In comparison with his, much is known about the life of his brother Jan.
  • Artist Information (Artist #1): Jan van Eyck worked at various royal courts, and was, for example, court painter to Philip the Good of Burgundy. It is suggested that Jan van Eyck discovered oil paint, however this technique was known earlier, but he perfected the technique of working with oil paint. He became famous for his technical skills. He used very clear oil to make the paint and applied the colours in different, almost transparent layers. In this way he achieved intense colours and could work in great detail. There are around thirty works known by Van Eyck.
  • Type: Painting
  • Rights: Acquired with the collection of: D.G. van Beuningen 1958, http://collectie.boijmans.nl/en/disclaimer/
  • External Link: Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen
  • Medium: Oil on panel
Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen

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