Neither the precise birthplace nor the date of birth of the greatest Flemish artist of the 15th century and founder of the early Dutch painting tradition is known for certain. Jan van Eyck was born sometime between 1380 and 1390, presumably in Maaseyck, close to Maastricht. Between 1422 and 1424 he worked in the service of Johann of Bavaria, count of Holland, in The Hague. In 1425, directly after Johann’s death, van Eyck entered the service of Philip the Good, duke of Burgundy, who named him court painter and valet de chambre. In the following years he not only undertook artistic commissions but also diplomatic journeys in the service of the duke. In 1428 and 1429 he was part of an embassy to Portugal, where he painted Philip’s future bride, Isabella of Portugal.

In 1432 he completed his masterwork, the winged altar in the Saint Bavo Cathedral, Ghent, which includes The Adoration of the Lamb. According to an inscription, his older brother Hubert van Eyck had collaborated on the alter up to his death in 1426. From this point on, signed and dated works tell of his further artistic development.

Van Eyck was highly regarded during his lifetime, even renowned as the most important artist of his age. His few works are among the most important documents of early Dutch painting. From the beginning, scholars saw the revolutionary novelty of his paintings—combining brilliantly detailed realism with a depth and intensity of color—less as a stylistic idiosyncrasy than a technical innovation. The earliest biographies and art-historical texts from the 16th century claim that van Eyck was the inventor of painting in oils.