Van Eyck orVan Eijk (pronounced[vɑnˈɛik]) is aDutchtoponymic surname.Eijck,Eyck,Eyk andEijk are all archaic spellings of modern Dutcheik ("oak") and the surname literally translates as "from/of oak". However, in most cases, the family name refers to an origin inMaaseik. This city on theMeuse, now in Belgium on the border with the Netherlands, was originally simply known asEike (with many spellings) and from the 13th century asOld Eyck andNew Eyck.[1] Names with anaffix (tussenvoegsel), likeVan der Eijk, are more likely to refer directly to the tree.[2] This article lists people with this surname.
The importantFlemish family ofEarly Netherlandish painters with the surname van Eyck originated in Maaseik, but ultimately established their professional domicile inGhent and inBruges. There they changed the traditional habits of the earlier schools, remodeled the earlier forms of Flemish design, and introduced a substantial revolution into the technical methods of execution familiar to their countrymen. These painters were responsible for many famous works of the 15th century.
Family members included:Hubert van Eyck (1380s – 1426),Jan van Eyck (c.1390 – 1441), their brother Lambert van Eyck, and sister Margareta van Eyck, Jan's wife, also Margaretha (1405/06 – aft.1441), and probablyBarthélemy d'Eyck (c.1420 – aft.1470) from the next generation. Jan van Eyck, active in Bruges, is probably the best known Northern European painter of the 15th century.
This page lists people with thesurnameVan Eyck. If aninternal link intending to refer to a specific person led you to this page, you may wish to change thatlink by adding the person'sgiven name(s) to the link.
