Giovanni Arnolfini's Impalmamento

1

Anna Eörsi

Giovanni Arnolfini's Impalmamento

(published: Oud Holland 110/1996, 113-116)

I.

The central motif of Jan van Eyck's London painting, the so-called "joining of hands," has long been recognized as a special gesture carrying a specific meaning. Debates about it have been going on for decades, yet, rarely has anyone ever described it correctly (Fig. 1).[1] The most careless writers mention a mutual holding of right hands or say it is the woman who holds the man's left.[2] Those authors who describe the gesture meaning or implying mutualness do not phrase their description precisely.[3] Neither does it suffice to speak of hands reaching for each other.[4]

The authors closer to the truth are those who emphasize the man's active and the woman's passive role.[5] Nevertheless, these motionless hands cannot be described accurately by certain verbs in the present tense which refer to movement or action.[6] Only a few - otherwise inaccurate - descriptions mention the fact that the woman's palm is open.[7] I have found only one description referring to the woman's palm being open towards the viewer.Its author, however, attributes no specific meaning to this.[8]

II.

In the picture the man holds in his left hand, between his thumb and four fingers, the woman's right palm opened towards the viewer. This portrayal of the open palm must have been very important for the painter, so much so that he drew the man's left arm somewhat incorrectly: his arm is too short and the slight upward turn of his wrist is anatomically inaccurate.

I believe that there could very well be a direct connection between the emphasized display of the woman's palm and the Italian terms palmata,impalmare, and impalmamento. These Italian words derive from palma, i.e. palm. Palmata means solemn oath of allegiance.[9] The verb impalmare is equivalent to betroth somebody, and originates from an old custom according to which the groom, as a sign of the confirmation of his marriage promise, grasped, touched, or poked the right hand or palm of his future wife.[10]Impalmamento signifies engagement, a promise of marriage, specifically, as a confirmation of the preliminary agreements, it indicates the early phase of the long process of the marriage arrangement.[11]

It is, naturally, the ancient Roman dextrarum iunctio that the ceremony is based on. However, in Roman times, the joining of hands sealed the free and voluntary will of both the man and the woman to marry each other. In contrast, marriage in the middle ages meant the passing of ownership of the woman from the father or guardian to the husband, so that her right hand represents the woman herself .[12] The open palm of the woman is at most a sign of her - joyous or reluctant - consent. The groom either places his right hand into the bride's, as is well-known from countless depictions of engagement scenes, or touches her palm with his extended finger. This latter gesture is also sometimes illustrated, e.g. in Sassetta's picture of St. Francis' Vow of Poverty, in which the Saint is reaching with his index and middle fingers towards the right palm of the female figure in the middle (Fig. 2).[13]

III.

As far as I know, the display of the palm in Jan van Eyck's picture of Giovanni Arnolfini and Giovanna Cenami is unique in the history of art. How did this singurar solution come about?

It is not known in what language the Netherlandish painter communicated with his commissioners. It seems very likely though, that the young couple told the artist about the customs of engagement in their homeland. We cannot even exclude the possibility that this way the painter learned about the etymology of the word impalmamento. Still, the context of this motif can be reconstructed, not only with the help of linguistics, the history of law, and ethnography, but also on the basis of other images. Two illustrations of Boccaccio dated c. 1430-40 and Eyck's own painting illustrate, like three successive filmframes, three consecutive phases of the impalmamento or engagement confirmed by taking the bride's hand. In the first Boccaccio miniature the groom is approaching the bride's open right palm with his right hand, while holding it with his left from behind and below in such a way that three of his fingers clasp her palm (Fig. 3).[14] In the other Boccaccio miniature, from the same manuscript, the groom is also holding his bride’s open hand from behind and below - this time four of his fingers can be seen - and touching her palm with his right hand (Fig. 4).[15] In my opinion Jan van Eyck's painting could then portray the moment following this phase: the future husband has already lifted his right hand from his bride's palm. The underdrawing confirms the fact that Eyck's picture represents a phase in the described series of events, since it shows - in the same way as the above examples - that Giovanni originally held Giovanna's hand not only from the back, but, with two of his fingers clasped around it, from below as well (Fig. 5). [16]

In short, I think that Arnolfini has just touched with his right hand the palm of his future wife, and he is now showing his freshly acquired possession to the beholders. If he were to talk he would probably say, "Io ho impalmato lei." In all likelihood, he commissioned the painting from Jan van Eyck on occasion or in memory of his impalmamento.[17]

List of illustrations:

1. Jan van Eyck: Giovanni Arnolfini and Giovanna Cenami. London, National Gallery

2. Sassetta: St. Francis' Vow of Poverty. Chantilly, Musée Condé (detail)

3. Boccaccio: Decameron 10, 7. Lisa and Perdicone. Paris, Bibliotheque de Arsenal, ms. 5070, fol. 368r

4. Boccaccio: Decameron 5, 7. Teodoro and Violante. Paris, Bibliotheque de Arsenal, ms. 5070, fol. 204r

5. Jan van Eyck: Giovanni Arnolfini and Giovanna Cenami. London, National Gallery (detail, infra-red photograph)

[1] Davies, M.: The National Gallery, London, Vol. 2 (Les Primitifs Flamands, Corpus de la Peinture des anciens Pays-Bas méridionaux au quinzieme siecle, 3). Antwerp, 1954, pp. 117-128.

[2] "een man en een vrouw, die elkaar bij de rechterhand houden" (Karel van Mander: Het Schilder-Boeck (Haarlem, 1604), Amsterdam, Antwerp, 1950, p. 33), "ein Mann und Weibsbild, so sich durch Darreichung der rechten Hand verheurathen" (Joachim von Sandrart: Teutsche Academie der edlen Bau-, Bild-, Mahlerey-Künste, (1675) ed. A. R. Peltzer, Munich, 1925, p. 55). To do justice to these two writers, it must be pointed out that they may have known the picture from hearsay only.

"Die Linke des Mannes in der Rechten der Frau liegt" (Hager, W.: "Ein Spiegelmotiv bei Jan van Eyck und das gotische Raumsymbol," Münstersche Forschungen, IX, 1955, p. 41).

[3] "joined" or "joining hands," e. g. Harbison, C.: Jan van Eyck: The Play of Realism, 1991, pp. 34, 37, 40., Panofsky, E.: "Jan van Eyck's Arnolfini Portrait," The Burlington Magazine, LXIV, 1934, p. 125., Seidel, L.: Jan van Eyck's Arnolfini Portrait. Stories of an Icon, Cambridge, 1993, pp. 10, 19., "handclasp," e. g. Sandler, L.: "The Handclasp in the Arnolfini Wedding: A Manuscript Precedent," The Art Bulletin, LXVI, 1984, pp. 489, 491., "holding hands," e. g. Seidel, op. cit., p. 19., "the couple touch or lay their hands together," Hall, E.: The Arnolfini Betrothal: Medieval Marriage and the Enigma of van Eyck's Double Portrait, Berkeley, 1994, p. 83.(I wish to note here that I agree with Hall’s interpretation of the subject, but I reach the same conclusion in a much simpler and more straightforward way.See note 17 as well.) "iunctio," e. g. Bedaux, J. B.: "The Reality of Symbols. The Question of Disguised Symbolism in Jan van Eyck's Arnolfini Portrait," Simiolus, XVI, 1986, p. 10., " Mann und Frau die Hände ineinander legten," Friedländer, M. J.: Die altniederländische Malerei. Vol. I. Die van Eyck's-Petrus Christus, Berlin, 1924, p. 55., "touchants la main l'ung de 1'aultre," inventary of the collection of Margaret of Austria, 1523-24, cited by Davies, op. cit., Doc. 1., "les mains des conjoins unies," Tolnay, C. de: Le Maitre de Flémalle et les freres van Eyck, Brussels, 1939, p. 33., "se toman las manos," inventory of the collection of Mary of Hungary, 1558, cited by Davies, op. cit., Doc. 3., "agarrados de las manos" inventories of the Spanish Royal Collection, 1754 and 1789, cited by Davies, op. cit., Doc. 7.

[4] e. g. "sich die Hand reichend" (Voll, K.: Die Werke des Jan van Eyck. Strassbourg, 1900, p. 8.), " se donnant la main" (Dimier, L.: "Le portrait méconnu de Jean van Eyck," La Revue de l'art ancien et moderne, XXXVI, 1932, p. 187).

[5] e. g. " Arnolfini... grasping in his left hand the back of the hand of his bride," Baldass, L. von: Jan van Eyck, Cologne, 1952, p. 74., "her right hand in his left," Davies, op. cit., p. 118., "the woman has just put her right hand into Arnolfini's left," Gombrich, E. H.: The Story of Art, 8th ed., London, 1957, p. 174., "the husband gingerly holds the lady's right hand in his left," Panofsky, E.: Early Netherlandish Painting. Its Origins and Character. Cambridge, Mass., 1953, p. 202., "the right hand of the bride is placed in the left of the husband," Rosenau, H.: "Some English Influences on Jan van Eyck: With Special Reference to the Arnolfini Portrait," Apollo, XXXVI, 1942, p. 125., "der Bräutigam hat die Hand der Braut ergriffen," Bialostocki, J.: Spätmittelalter und beginnende Neuzeit, Berlin, 1972, p. 172., "una alemana...dando la mano a un mozo," inventary of the Spanish Royal Collection, Alkázar, Madrid, 1700, cited by Davies, op. cit., Doc. 6.

[6] e.g. "the woman places her right hand in the man's extended left one," Seidel, op. cit., p. 42., "seine... /Hand/...behutsam die Rechte der Frau fasst," Beenken, H.: Hubert und Jan van Eyck, Munich, 1941, p. 60. See the next note as well.

[7] e.g. "weisen beide Handflachen nach oben," Sebková -Thaller, Z.: Sünde und Versöhnung in Jan van Eycks Hochzeitsbild, Markt Berolzheim, 1992, p. 42., "the man... touch/es/ the woman's extended right hand," Hall, op. cit. p. 83. and "l'homme prend la main étendue de sa femme," Tolnay, op. cit., p. 33. (as long as in these two quotes the words "extended" and "étendue" refer to her hand proper and not to her arm), "une dame...tendant la main ouverte a un homme," Viardot, L.: Les Musées d'Angleterre, de Belgique, de Hollande et de Russie, Paris, 1860, p. 30.

[8] "Le jeune couple se tient par la main ou, plus exactement, la jeune femme a posé sa main droite, la paume en avant, dans la main gauche de san époux," Hymans, H.: Les van Eyck. Biographie critique, Paris, n.d., p. 94.

In the enormous literature on the subject only two scholars attribute any significance to the palm. Viardot believes the picture to represent a scene of chiromancy (op. cit., pp. 30-31). In Belting's opinion - which is plausible - the open hand expresses the willingness to marry (Belting, H. - Kruse, C.: Die Erfindung des Gemäldes. Das erste Jahrhundert der niederländischen Malerei, Munich, 1994, p. 72).

[9] Corso,R.:"Gli sponsali poplari",Revue des Études ethnographiques et sociologiques,I,19o8, pp.495-6:"L’espressione della fede, nel patto conchiuso dalle parti, e la palmata...La palmata ha l’efficacia solenne di un giuramento."

[10] "impalmare: (derivato di palma) congiungere la palma della mano alla palma di un altra persona, come segno di promessa solenne... In particolare dello sposo che, toccando la mano alla sposa, le dava cosi promessa di matrimonio...," Bosco, U. (dir.): Lessico universale italiano di lingua, lettere, arti, scienze e tecnica. X. Rome, 1972, p. 216., "impalmare: sposare, prendere in moglie (dall' uso antico per il quale l'uomo sanciva la propria promessa di matrimonio toccando la mano della futura sposa)," Meini, G. et al.: Dizionario Sandron della lingua italiana. Florence, 1976, p. 916.

[11] Hall, op. cit., p. 68. Klapisch-Zuber, C.: Women, Family and Ritual in Renaissance Italy, Chicago, London, 1985, p. 183.

[12] e.g. Rosenau, op. cit., p. 125., Mikat, P.: "Ehe," in: Erler, A. - Kaufmann, E.: Handwörterbuch zur deutschen Rechsgeschichte, I, Berlin, 1971, p. 811.

[13] Chantilly, Musée Condé. See also e. g. Cavallini's The Betrothal of St. Elizabeth (Naples, Santa Maria di Donna Regina).

[14] Boccaccio: Decameron, 10, 7: Lisa and Perdicone. Paris, Bibliotheque de Arsenal, ms. 5070, fol. 368r (Hall, op. cit., fig. 32 and p. 75). The same phase of the engagement ceremony seems to be taking place in a miniature portraying Tobias and Sarah, London, British Museum, ms Add. 10043, fol. 207v (Bedaux, op. cit., fig. 4).

[15] Boccaccio: Decameron 5, 7: Teodoro and Violante. Paris, Bibliotheque de Arsenal, ms. 5070, fol. 204r (Hall, op. cit., fig. 31 and p. 74).

[16] Davies, op. cit., pl. CCXCVIII. In the literature on Eyck's painting I have found proposals suggesting that the man is about to put his right hand into that of the woman, but none suggesting that he has already done this, which could just as well be the case. See e. g. Baldass, op. cit., p. 74, Gombrich, op. cit., p. 174., Kaemmerer, L.: Hubert und Jan van Eyck, Bielefeld, Leipzig, 1898, p. 64., Rosenau, op. cit., p. 126.

[17] E.Hall interprets the main subject of the painting in a similar way."What the artist has depicted is...a solemn sponsalia or betrothal."(op.cit.p.83.).

As to the details, the red girdle of the woman - which has not yet been discussed by others - is an engagement present .(Corso,op.cit.p.495.:"Il segno e il destino della donna gia fidanzata. Esso puo consistere in una cintura rosso-fuoco...") The red slippers,too, may have been given to the bride by her future husband, and symbolize his authority over her. (Corso, op.cit.p.497).