tracking down a painting

Does anyone have any good online sources for reviewing art through the ages? I'm trying to track down a painting to show a friend, but can't remember it's name, or even pin-point the time period it's from.

I say that "needle in a haystack" might be giving you false hopes here. There are all sorts of web sites that could work but knowing something about the painting is really, really helpful. Knowing what was the subject of the work might even help. Something. Anything.

It's a marriage portrait, done in oils. It's a man and woman standing in what I think was either a study or a library, holding hands. The woman's dress was green, I think. They were clearly upper-class, but not nobility, if I'm remembering correctly. The woman is very pregnant. The thing my art professor pointed out to the class was that the artist, instead of simply signing his name, wrote out the words "(artist) was here" or "(artist) witnessed this."

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I know that one! It's the Arnolfini Portrait, by Jan van Eyck.

http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/jan-van-eyck-the-arnolfini-portrait

Yes! Thank you so much, I thought finding it would take ages, you're awesome!

Nice work lilithcat. Even needles can't hide around here. eek

I think that when you examine that painting by Van Eyck , you will see that the woman is not pregnant- she is just holding the folds of her gown. There are many symbols in the compostion- the statue of St, Margaret(?) patron saint of childbirth, the dog-symbol of fidelity. I was taught that this work is an actual marriage document-the couple are taking an oath in the presence of God ( flickering light) in front of two witnesses ( see two in glass reflection) and the signature of Van Eyck -rare as he didn't sign much- is that of a witness to the marriage.

Torontoc, that's also what I was taught, minus the saint and dog symbolism.

For future art questions use http://www.artcyclopedia.com/

Nifty, Shayna, thanks!