Reflections: Van Eyck and the Pre-Raphaelites
2 October 2017 – 2 April 2018
Discover how van Eyck’s Arnolfini Portrait was one of the beacons by which the Pre-Raphaelites forged a radical new style of painting.

This autumn, one of the most celebrated paintings in the National Gallery, Jan van Eyck’s Arnolfini Portrait (1434), will be exhibited for the first time alongside works by the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and its successors. Focusing on the profound influence this 15th-century masterpiece had on the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, Reflections will shed light on the different ways these young British artists of the 19th century responded to the painting and one of its most distinctive features, the convex mirror. The exhibition provides a unique opportunity to see works by Sir John Everett Millais, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, William Holman Hunt and William Morris next to the work that inspired them.
The convex mirror, which in the Arnolfini Portrait famously shows a reflection of van Eyck himself, left a lasting impression on the Pre-Raphaelites. They adapted the device as a means of exploring ideas of distortion, doubling, and reflection, but also as a way to convey a complex psychological drama.
Don't miss your chance to experience the fascinating story of Jan van Eyck’s mesmerising effect on the young Pre-Raphaelites, never before presented in an exhibition.
This exhibition is organised by the National Gallery in collaboration with Tate Britain.
Exhibition generously supported by The Thompson Family Charity Trust, Cockayne – Grants for the Arts and The London Community Foundation.
Book online and save – best ticket prices available online.
All groups which number more than 6 people should book with Groupline: 020 7206 1173 (no booking fees, lines open Monday to Friday 9.30am to 5.30pm). Groups of more than 6 people cannot book tickets online.
Credits:
John Everett Millais, Mariana (detail), 1851 © Tate, London 2015
Jan van Eyck, Portrait of Giovanni(?) Arnolfini and his Wife, 1434 © The National Gallery, London