Very informative, Kamna. Van Eyck isn't one of my favorites but even I can't deny the masterful intricacy of his work. It just goes to show you how much can be missed if you don't study history and art side by side.

If fact, I would almost argue that you can't be a proper student/lover of art absent some measure of interest in history. As you've demonstrated, historical context is vital in decoding the works of masters like Van Eyck.