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.
Step into the magic of the season with a tour of eight unforgettable Christmas markets. From Vienna’s grand squares to Bruges’s fairy-tale charm and Rovaniemi’s Arctic wonder, each destination glows with festive lights, cozy scents, and timeless traditions that make winter feel truly enchanted.
