Madonna of Chancellor Rolin
Rolin Madonna or The Madonna of Chancellor Nicolas Rolin is a painting by Jan van Eyck of 1435. Image is 65 x 62.3 inches tall and hangs in the Louvre in Paris.
Motif
The picture shows the interior of a palace with a view of a city in a river valley. The Chancellor Nicolas Rolin kneeling with hands clasped in a prayer chair in front of Mary, the opposite holds him the boy Jesus. The boy is blessing with his right hand and holds the Chancellor in the other one orb. A floating angel crowning Mary, indicating their status as queen of heaven.
Interpretation
The palace represents the heavenly Jerusalem, where no intermediary between man and God is necessary; the city behind the pillars arches is thus not to be equated, but it also belongs to the messianic world. The orientation of the Cathedral and the shadow of the stick, to holding a figure in the middle, leave a light source in the northwest accept. The Hours Rolins contains no information about the time, but at the coattails of the Madonna, a prayer is embroidered, which belongs to Marienofficium, namely for Matins - this is prayed in the monastic liturgy of the hours between midnight and early morning. In Mariengarten front of the palace at the same time blooming roses, peonies, lilies, irises and columbines.
On the battlements behind the Mariengarten are two men one of which looks down on the city and the other the viewer turns the profile. This second figure ( in blue skirt and red turban ) holds a staff and is therefore identified as a court official; it is identified by some with the painter himself. Color and shape of the turban agree with the assumed a self-portrait on the image man with red turban match.
Research
The many details are not yet included in the signature. With infrared reflectography changes are also visible: the blessing arm of the boy Jesus was complemented by the artist until later, it was on the belt Rolins a purse visible.