03/25/2026
Sometimes the most important part of a painting is no bigger than a coin.
In The Arnolfini Portrait, Jan van Eyck places a small convex mirror at the center of the room.
Look closely and the mirror reveals something unexpected: the entire scene reflected back — along with two additional figures standing at the doorway.
One of them may even be the artist himself.
A tiny detail, but one that quietly turns the viewer into part of the moment. Had you noticed it before?