EYCK, JOHN VAN, the younger brother of Hubert and the improver and supposed inventor of oil-painting, sometimee called John of Bruges from his having settled in that place, was born at Manseyck as is generally said, in 1370, and studied with his elder brother Hubert. There are however some reasons for supposing John to have been bona much later than 1370. As noticed under Hubert Van Eyck, although the Veil Eyck!' did not invent, they greatly improved the art of oil-painting, and brought it into general use. After having long resided in the rich and flourishing city of Bruges, the two brothers removed about 1920 to Ghent, where their greatest and meet renowned work, the adoration of the Lamb for the altar-piece at St. Baron's, was paluted between the years 1420 and 2432. Some say it was painted for redeem' Vyts, a rich citizen of Ghent, while others affirm that It was by order of Philip, duke of Burgundy, count of Flanders, who came to the government in 1420.
It is certain however that John Van Eyck was loug attached to the brilliant court of Philip. John Van Eyck probably greatly advanced in the path opened by his elder brother. lie was endowed, as East lake observes, "with an extraordinary capacity for seeing stature," an endowment of the very first consequence for the painter; "rind thus gifted, and aided by the example and instruction of Hubert, a world was opened to him, which lila predecessors had not attempted to repre sent" The beat works of John Van Eyck are now chiefly in the galleries of Germany and the Low Countries ; in our National Gallery there is one painting, entitled, a Flemish Gentleman and Lady,' which was executed by him in 1434, but is still in perfect preservation, and is a remarkable illustration of his brilliancy of colouring, general effect, and surprising technical skill. John Van Eyck died July 14, 1441.