The Madonna of Chancellor Rolin is an oil on canvas painted by Jan van Eyck circa 1434-1435 and housed at the Louvre Museum.
The work was commissioned by Nicolas Rolin, founder of the Hospices de Beaune which was an almshouse, here represented praying before the Virgin and Child who appeared to him by the power of his prayer.
The scene is particularly rich. The angel crowns the Virgin while Jesus is blessing the patron kneeling behind the prie-Dieu. The crystal orb held by the Christ points him out as the Creator. Because the Virgin is almost shown in profile, she isn’t really in contact with us but only with the patron. This deprives the spectator of the contemplation and participation to Rolin’s prayer.
The perspective is perfectly mastered here. It opens on a landscape of mountains and river, giving the painting more depth.