Jan van Eyck was an early Netherlandish painter active in Bruges, recognized as one of the early innovators of what became known as early Netherlandish painting and a supreme figure of the Early Northern Renaissance. His precise birth date is unknown, but he was active from 1422 until his death in 1441.

Van Eyck's work is celebrated for its meticulous detail, luminous color, and innovative use of oil paint, which allowed for unprecedented realism and depth. His surviving oeuvre includes about 20 autograph pictures, roughly half of which are portraits, such as the iconic Portrait of a Man (Self-Portrait?) and the Arnolfini Portrait.

In 2026, the National Gallery in London announced 'Van Eyck: The Portraits,' the first exhibition ever devoted to his portraits, bringing together all 10 of his surviving portrait works from across Europe, opening November 21, 2026 through April 11, 2027.