Thimble - Margareta van Eyck

Here, we present Margareta van Eyck within her scholarly context. Jan van Eyck’s (1390–1441) mastery is evident not only in his brushstrokes; he also possessed an excellent knowledge of optics, geometry, and alchemy. This knowledge reached Bruges through Latin translations of Arabic texts. By experimenting with oils and pigments, he was able to perfectly imitate nature. For him, alchemy was a way to understand materials and reproduce the forces of nature. You can see all of this reflected in his paintings, such as the portrait of Margareta.