Notice: Welcome to the World of the Masterpiece Portrait of a Man, Which Will Dramatically Change Your Daily Life
Hello. I am Mimi Takamizawa.
Thank you so much for your hard work every day.
To you, who always give your all and do your best every day, I am speaking to you with the wish of giving you a little time to pause.
You are the “protagonist” of the wonderful story that is your life.
You have the right to live your own life, which belongs to no one else.
However, caught up in the busyness of each day, aren’t you losing the time to deeply reflect on yourself?
If you ever feel right now, “What am I working so hard for?” or “Daily life is a repetition of the same thing and so boring,” please come on a wonderful journey with me.
What I am introducing to you this time is a historic masterpiece painted in the 15th century by Jan van Eyck, a master of Early Netherlandish painting: Portrait of a Man.
This work is not merely an old painting.
It is a “special tool” that strongly supports you through daily worries, stress, and moments when you seem to lose sight of your life’s purpose, giving you the courage to move toward the future.
Do you think, “Isn’t art difficult?” or “Does it really have anything to do with me?”
Please rest assured.
As we converse, you will clearly feel how close art is to you and how richly it can transform your life.
First, please take a look at the table of contents and read along with me from whichever part catches your heart.
Table of Contents
- The Master Jan van Eyck Who Etched His Name in History and the Miraculous Masterpiece Portrait of a Man
- Basic Specifications of Portrait of a Man and the Place Where You Can Encounter It Today
- The Questions That the Piercing Gaze Asks You and the True Value of the Work
- Decisive Differences from Contemporary Rivals and Its Innovativeness
- A Passage Bringing Rest and Sincerity to You, Who Are Always Working Hard
- The “Meaningful Life” Proven by Frankl’s Psychology from the Masterpiece Man’s Search for Meaning
- “Success Through Giving” Learned from Henry Ford’s Famous Quote and Your Happiness
- The Tenacity of Tokuji Munetsugu, Founder of CoCo Ichibanya, and the Power of Daily Accumulation
- The Greatest Loss You Suffer When You Do Not Become Familiar with Art
- Why the Great Masterpiece Portrait of a Man Instantly Solves Your Daily Problems
The Master Jan van Eyck Who Etched His Name in History and the Miraculous Masterpiece Portrait of a Man
The Footsteps of a Genius Born in 15th-Century Netherland
The modern society you live in is changing at a dizzying speed, isn’t it?
About 600 years ago, in 15th-century Europe, it was also an era of great transformation.
During that time, Jan van Eyck was active in the Flanders region, which corresponds to present-day Belgium and the Netherlands.
Society at that time was attempting to break away from the Middle Ages into the modern era.
Commerce flourished, and merchants and nobles were eager to leave their presence for posterity.
Jan van Eyck earned overwhelming trust as a court painter for Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy.
He was not merely a craftsman; he was intelligent enough to be active as a diplomat and built a high social standing.
The Historic Episode of Perfecting the Oil Painting Technique
Have you ever heard the theory that Jan van Eyck invented oil paint?
To be precise, the mechanism of oil paint existed before him, but he was the one who perfected it as a painting technique to its ultimate limit.
Tempera painting (paint using egg), which was mainstream until then, dried extremely fast, making smooth gradients and realistic depictions of fine details difficult.
However, Van Eyck established a groundbreaking technique by combining vegetable oil and resin, allowing the paint to dry slowly and be layered many times.
By acquiring this form of expression, he enabled painting to evolve into “a window that brings real reality right before your eyes.”
Basic Specifications of Portrait of a Man and the Place Where You Can Encounter It Today
Detailed Data of the Work
For the day you visit this work, here is the concrete information organized for you:
- Title: Portrait of a Man (Portrait of a Man in a Red Turban)
- Artist: Jan van Eyck
- Year of Creation: October 21, 1433
- Technique: Oil on panel (oak wood panel)
- Dimensions: 25.5 cm × 19 cm (A compact screen about the size of an A4 sheet)
- Frame: Original frame crafted by Van Eyck himself (featuring carved-like inscriptions on top, bottom, and sides)
Waiting for You at the National Gallery in London, UK
This miraculous work is currently housed in the National Gallery in London, UK.
Since being acquired by the museum in 1851, it has continued to fascinate millions of people visiting from all over the world.
It is said to have originally been acquired by Thomas Howard, 21st Earl of Arundel, a famous collector in the 17th century, in Antwerp.
Imagine travelling from Japan to London and facing this small 25.5 cm × 19 cm panel in the quiet space of the National Gallery.
Just standing in front of it, its overwhelming presence transcending time and space will surely take your breath away.
The Questions That the Piercing Gaze Asks You and the True Value of the Work
“The Eyes Staring Right at You” That Overturned 1000 Years of History
When you stand in front of this painting, what do you think will surprise you first?
It is that the man in the model gazes straight back at you.
As art historian Erwin Panofsky pointed out, in the history of Western painting, a portrait staring so directly and piercingly at the viewer had not existed for about 1000 years prior to this.
Most medieval portraits showed profile views or averted eyes.
Why was Van Eyck able to depict such a gaze?
The biggest reason is considered to be that this work is a “self-portrait” depicting the painter’s own mirror image.
Looking intently into the mirror, analyzing himself, and engraving it onto the canvas.
The sharp eyes of that moment transcend 600 years of time and are staring straight at you living in the present.
The Craftsmanship and Resolve Embedded in “As I Can”
On the original frame of the work, Van Eyck’s famous motto is carved.
At the top, in Flemish using Greek letters: “Als Ich Can (As I can)“.
At the bottom, in Latin: “JOHES DE EYCK ME FECIT ANO MCCCC.33. 21. OCTOBRIS (Jan van Eyck made me on October 21, 1433)“.
This phrase “Als Ich Can” carries the meaning: “As best as I can, but not as I would (I do my utmost aiming for perfection).”
Furthermore, it is a clever play on words between “Ich (I)” and “Eyck (van Eyck)”.
In the 15th century, no painter carved dates and signatures so prominently on a painting.
He confidently appealed to potential clients, saying, “See with your own eyes what skill I possess.”
Decisive Differences from Contemporary Rivals and Its Innovativeness
Contrast with the Masters of the Italian Renaissance
In the same 15th century, the Renaissance was blooming in Italy, centered around Florence.
Masters like Masaccio and Donatello were creating wonderful works based on perspective and human anatomy.
However, while Italian works pursued “idealized beauty” and “mathematical spatial composition,” what Van Eyck and the Early Netherlandish painters aimed for was “thorough realism and meticulous reproduction of matter.”
Italian portraits of the time were still predominantly in profile, and in terms of revealing an individual’s inner self and detailed skin textures, they could not compare to Van Eyck.
Differences from Robert Campin and Rogier van der Weyden
Even compared to rivals active in the same Flanders region, such as Robert Campin (Master of Flémalle) or Rogier van der Weyden, Van Eyck’s depiction of light is outstandingly superior.
For example, please look at the red headcovering worn by the model.
This is not a turban, but a “chaperon,” a hood fashionable at the time.
Van Eyck tied the long tail (cornette) of the chaperon intricately on top of the head so it would not get in the way of painting.
The complex folds of that fabric, and the contrast between the bright highlights and deep shadows where light hits.
Even subtle stubble, wrinkles around the eyes characteristic of middle age, and the moistness of the bloodshot left eye are depicted without compromise.
While his rivals excelled at dramatic emotional expression, Van Eyck used a cold, precise eye of observation—as if possessing the eyes of God—to condense the world itself into view.
A Passage Bringing Rest and Sincerity to You, Who Are Always Working Hard
Here, allow me to convey an important message to you, who are always leading a busy daily life.
Have you noticed that you, who are always working hard, need rest?
Mimi Takamizawa’s art serves your life with sincerity.
Because as the “protagonist” of your own story, you have the right to attain a “valuable” life.
Chased by work, housework, and human relationships every day, aren’t you putting time for yourself on the back burner?
Rest for your spirit is just as important as rest for your body.
Time spent facing a work of art quietly heals your tired heart and becomes a luxurious, precious time of rest to reclaim your true self.
The “Meaningful Life” Proven by Frankl’s Psychology from the Masterpiece Man’s Search for Meaning
Viktor Frankl’s Teaching and Mimi Takamizawa’s Resonance
I, Mimi Takamizawa, am strongly influenced by the thoughts of Viktor Frankl, a psychiatrist who survived the Nazi concentration camps.
Have you read his great book Man’s Search for Meaning?
Amid extreme conditions, Frankl discovered that “what human beings need is to ask what life expects from them.”
Anyone can live a “meaningful” life.
You can create a meaningful story yourself.
If you have a purpose in life, from the moment you wake up in the morning to the moment you sleep at night, you will never feel bored.
“Idle time” filled with anxiety or loneliness disappears.
Why Appreciating Art Provides You with “Meaning in Life”
So why does viewing a masterpiece like Portrait of a Man lead to what Frankl calls a “meaningful life”?
When you take the time to appreciate a painting, you engage in a one-on-one dialogue with the work.
“Why is this person staring at me?”
“Why did a painter 600 years ago paint the fine details to the point of sacrificing his life?”
Asking these questions generates new thoughts within your heart and creates value.
Art gives you “questions,” releases you from shallow daily worries, and directs your attention to a deeper purpose in life.
“Success Through Giving” Learned from Henry Ford’s Famous Quote and Your Happiness
The Truth of the Man Who Built a Society Where Anyone Could Ride a Car
Let me introduce the quote that influenced me the most.
It is a famous quote from Henry Ford, the American who built a society where anyone could ride an automobile:
“Most people think of success as getting something. But really, success is giving.”
What do you think about this famous quote?
Many people tend to think of success as “earning money” or “being recognized by others.”
However, Ford saw through to the truth that “giving convenience and richness to others” is true success.
How an Attitude of Giving Dramatically Changes Your Daily Life and Relationships
How does this quote help you in your daily life?
When you help someone at work, offer warm words at home, or provide value to someone through your own work, your heart is filled with a sense of fulfillment.
Jan van Eyck, too, by painting this portrait in 1433, generously gave to us in future generations the “dignity of the human spirit” and the “pinnacle of beauty.”
Shifting from a way of living that snatches or seeks from others to a way of living that offers joy to others yourself.
That is the powerful key that elevates you to become the “protagonist” of your life.
The Tenacity of Tokuji Munetsugu, Founder of CoCo Ichibanya, and the Power of Daily Accumulation
The Stance That Generates Overwhelming Results
There is another person who greatly influenced me.
Tokuji Munetsugu, the founder of Curry House CoCo Ichibanya.
Please look at the wonderful words he left behind:
“Do not look away; dedicate yourself to management.”
“Things do not go well from the start, so continue doing it without giving up. Business is daily accumulation and gratitude. Working 5,640 hours a year (15.5 hours a day, 365 days).”
“During my active years, I had no hobbies and made no friends. I never went to bars. I did nothing that would get in the way of work. There were times I worked 5,640 hours a year. I felt that if I didn’t lead by example, my subordinates wouldn’t work for me.”
Don’t you feel this overwhelming passion, pride, and tremendous resolve?
Commonality Between Van Eyck’s Dense Canvas and Mr. Munetsugu’s Stance
The vast amount of time and concentration Jan van Eyck spent to complete Portrait of a Man overlaps precisely with Mr. Munetsugu’s stance.
There are only about 20 extant works by Van Eyck.
One theory suggests it took months or more to finish a single work.
Every subtle layer of ultramarine he applied to the iris of the left eye, and every single stroke of the four white points of light (catchlights) added in lead white were born from the accumulation of daily, steady work.
When you struggle with “not getting results easily” in your work or private life, remember Van Eyck’s painting and Mr. Munetsugu’s words.
Only by accumulating small steps without giving up can reliable quality and the future be built.
The Greatest Loss You Suffer When You Do Not Become Familiar with Art
The Risk of Numbed Sensitivity and Getting Buried in Boring Routine
If you refuse to touch art and spend your days merely chased by chores, what on earth will you lose?
It is the “sensitivity to deeply savor the world” and “spiritual freedom.”
A life alienated from art gradually makes your heart numb.
Waking up in the morning, riding a crowded train, working, looking at your smartphone out of exhaustion, and going to sleep.
If there is no “wonder” or “emotion” there, life becomes a mere task.
The Fear of Losing Sight of Your Own Emotions
A true, historical masterpiece will surely captivate the hearts of many people, including you.
Great music, literature, painting, sculpture, and film heal your spirit.
Great artists of the past left wonderful gifts to heal your heart.
Not touching art means throwing away all these treasures and losing the precious opportunity to face your inner self.
Please do not surrender the shield that protects your spirit.
Why the Great Masterpiece Portrait of a Man Instantly Solves Your Daily Problems
Answering Your Doubts and Anxieties
Here, let me answer the questions you might be feeling.
“If I look at an old painting, will it really solve my real-life worries and stress?”
It is natural to wonder about that.
However, let me state the reason clearly.
When you stand before Portrait of a Man and face the strong gaze of that man, you are placed in a situation where you “cannot help but converse with yourself.”
The model’s eyes reflect your heart like a mirror.
“Am I living with all my might right now?”
“Am I taking responsibility for my own life without being swayed by others?”
Through these powerful questions, you will feel petty daily worries and stress from human relationships at work gently fading away.
Reliable Quality and the Spiritual Salvation Only the Genuine Article Provides
All masterpieces across all ages and places can heal your heart, which is why they are still passed down to many people today.
Art is by no means difficult.
After you touch it many times, view it many times, think about it many times, and absorb various knowledge, if you do not feel charm in the work before your eyes or cannot look at it for a long time, that work is a weak, poorly made work.
A work that cannot convince you is a failure.
However, Van Eyck’s Portrait of a Man is different.
It has an overwhelming track record of convincing millions of people and capturing their hearts over 600 years.
By touching this work, an unshakeable core is nurtured in your heart, cultivating a strong mental strength to overcome daily chaos.
Conclusion: An Invitation to a Wonderful Life Gifted to You
From Mimi Takamizawa, to you.
Thank you so much for reading through this text with me to the end.
There is no life more valuable than delivering wonderful products, services, items, and works to many people.
A life that is not useful to others is meaningless, as the great figures of the past teach us.
Why not step forward starting today as the “protagonist” of your own story?
It is never too late to begin a life where you become familiar with art and let your heart be moved by beautiful things.
The brilliance of the soul that Jan van Eyck poured into Portrait of a Man continues to wait for you unchanged at the National Gallery.
As soon as possible, please touch that overwhelming power of the real thing.
I sincerely support your daily life turning into an even brighter, luxurious, and meaningful time.
