Structuralizing van (Analysis 2)

The man to the left is not only mourning his youth but also his decisions. She, a young girl of sixteen, doesn’t love the man in black. She is also not of nobility and is, instead, marrying into it. The house they are waiting in is not theirs but his mother’s—her mother in law’s. He is awaiting his mother’s decision of what royal position he will be anointed. She doesn’t care what position he gets, just as long as the money is stable and he is gone. The child she is carrying is unwanted by him but beloved by her. She had always wanted a child, but being that she is not of high class she, until now, hadn’t found a right suitor. 

According to the theory of Structuralism, the signs and symbols of a particular text can determine its meaning (1088). Looking at the painting, The Arnolfini Wedding, by Jan van Eych, with a structuralism lens many things will be uncovered. First off, by looking at the clothes, it can be determined that this painting is set during the Renaissance.  Also, by looking at the décor around the two characters it can be said that the characters come from money. Additionally, there is a sense of piety, or extreme religious devotion. The woman is covering her hair as many women of that time did in order to show their love for God. Furthermore, on the subject of religion, the mirror that is behind the couple is made of wood with several carving etched into the frame. Each circle within the frame has a different religious picture, and most of which are circling around the crucifixion of Jesus. Since this mirror is hanging over the “marital’ bed of sorts, it can be inferred that perhaps they are abiding by the religious laws of marriage, and following the Bible by procreating while consensually married. Also, in the mirror, the image of two other people other than the two main characters in our picture. There is a woman in a blue and white maid’s dress and another gentleman. This suggests that the pregnancy of the woman is being watched over and cared about. Ultimately, this painting is a sign of the time period in which it is set in and painted in.

 

Leitch, Vincent B. et al., ed. The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism. New York: Norton,

2001. Print.

Painting: Jan Van Eych, The Arnolfini Wedding. 1434.