The exact date of painter Jan van Eyck is not certain. However, there are documents to support the belief that he was born prior to 1395 and many historians believe that he was born around the year of 1385.

Jan van Eyck is thought of as one of the most remarkable painters of the Middle Ages. He lived in what was considered the Duchy of Burgundy which was an area of the Kingdom of France.

Jan van Eyck has been incorrectly credited with creating the oil painting. Historians don't believe that he actually created the concept but instead greatly perfected it.

While there are few documents to show Jan van Eyck's early years, he is believed to be the sibling of another great painter of his era; Hubert van Eyck. Several other men with the same last name are thought to be the brothers of Jan van Eyck because of the location in which they were born and because of their artistic abilities.

Jan van Eyck was a painter who was able to achieve success during his era with clients who were more than willing to pay for the van Eyck paintings. His masterpiece Ghent Altarpiece is still housed in all of its splendor at the Cathedral of St. Bravo (Belgium) which was the original home of the painting.

He was often credited as being the "leading painter of his day" which is something that Genoese Bartolomeo Facio noted in his 1454 biography of the painter. Additionally, Facio believed that Jan van Eyck was one of the most talented of painters in the 15th century.

With numerous works showcasing his talent including Annunciation and Madonna with Chancellor Rolin, it's easy to see why his talent has been mentioned even with the more well respected Italian painters of van Eyck's day. Jan van Eyck died in 1441. His legacy as an artist lives on today through the paintings left behind and housed in museums including the National Gallery of Art in Washington.