Title of Painting?

[weegeez]

I am looking for the name of a painting, I think the artist is unknown but I will try and discribe the image:

It is a portrait, full lengeth, of two people waering olde world clothing. The woman is pregnant and in the middle of the shot there is a convex mirror where you can see the artist painting the shot. Also you can see the painting in the opening credits of Desperate Housewives.

Thanks.

[mightywease]

Sounds like "The Arnolfini Marriage" by Jan Van Eyck - though I don't think the women is pregnant, it's just the stle of her dress.

check out http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/eyck/arno lfini/
for more details

[mightywease]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Arnolfini_Por trait

has some pretty good info as well

[weegeez]

wonderful!! thanks very much

[mydogsandme]

Incidentally, I read that the woman isn't pregnant, it's just the style of clothes of the time.

[LovelyLabrys]

It is indeed The Arnolfini Marriage by Jan Van Eyck. It is one of the most famous paintings in the world, and is actually held in the National Gallery in London. However, you can see the detail far better in reproductions.

It is a really interesting picture, because it is full of symbolism. The couple are possibly the least interesting part of the picture.

It is also interesting because lots of the things that art historians thought that they knew about the picture where changed when the original deeds to the home of the couple were found in the chimney of their house. (which was a common place to keep them)