One of the most significant works produced during the Northern Renaissance, this composition is believed to be one of the first paintings executed in oils.
A full-length double portrait, it reputedly portrays an Italian merchant and a woman who may or may not be his bride. In 1934, the celebrated art historian Erwin Panofsky proposed that the painting is actually a wedding contract. What can be reliably said is that the piece is one of the first depictions of an interior using orthogonal perspective to create a sense of space that seems contiguous with the viewer’s own; it feels like a painting you could step into.
There are certainly way too many to see in one visit. So to help those who will soon be vacationing in the States, here are the top tourist attractions...
