The woman in the portrait is commonly thought to be pregnant. This is a misinterpretation of 15th-century elite fashion, where holding up voluminous, expensive fabric was a public display of wealth. Her posture is a status symbol, not a sign of pregnancy.
The painting has been known as the "Portrait," "Betrothal," and "Marriage," reflecting evolving scholarly interpretations. This naming uncertainty underscores its status as an unresolved art historical puzzle and contributes to its lasting fame and fascination.
Jan van Eyck pioneered oil paint to achieve unparalleled realism. Yet, in the Arnolfini Portrait, this meticulous detail serves to deepen the painting's ambiguity rather than explain it, creating what the speaker calls "the earliest riddle in art."