Strangely enough, the idea of corralling Jews on Madagascar was nothing new. The plan was first proposed in 1885 by the German scholar Paul de Lagarde, whose writings were a major influence on Hitler. It was later touted by a wide range of politicians and anti-Semitic figures across Europe, some of whom subscribed to the erroneous belief that the Jews were the ancestors<span> of the island’s Malagasy natives</span>
Both Giovanni di Arrigo and Giovanni di Nicolao Arnolfini were Italian merchants, originally from Lucca, but resident in Bruges since at least 1419. The man in this painting is the subject of a further portrait by van Eyck in the Gemäldegalerie, Berlin, leading to speculation he was a friend of the artist.
This isn't hard. Get a pencil and do this yourself. You don't need other people doing this for you.
