Because of the reformation and protestant iconoclasts, what did many northern renaissance painters do?

Northern Europe was deeply affected by the Protestant Reformation in the sixteenth century and, after a period of power struggles and religious crises, the kings of France and Spain imposed their rule in the region. The changes in the fate of Flanders left clear marks in the art that developed there.

Among the Flemish artists, there was a culture of careful and detailed observation of reality and the appreciation of the traditional form of art. Such an attribute has been explored illustratively in one of Van Eyck's most beautiful works, The Annunciation. A target of discussions between historians, through symbolism, everything indicates that the painting is part of a triptych. The image depicts the moment when the angel Gabriel announces to the Virgin Mary that she will have the son of God. The background is that of a Gothic church; the floor features drawings of the Old Testament scene; and even the windows have religious references. The clothes of the angel and the Virgin still show minute detail in the design, folds, folds and trim of the fabrics. The greeting to Mary is recorded with the inscriptions "Ave Gra Plena" (Ave Maria full of grace) of the angel; and the Virgin's answer to the inscribed Annunciation “Ecce Ancilla Dni” (Behold the handmaid of the Lord). As the words are addressed to God, they were written upside down. Van Eyck's Couple Arnolfini3, commissioned by the wealthy merchant Giovanni di Nicolao Arnolfini, probably to celebrate his marriage, presents details of the social and daily life of the time and generates debates about its symbolic meaning. The details of the room are extraordinary, including the convex mirror in the background, on which the scene is reflected; a candle on the chandelier, which may mean the flame of love; a pair of clogs at the front and a pair of slippers at the bottom on the luxurious rug; the dog, which makes the scene funny; and the open window, where the light that falls on furniture, objects and people comes from. To the domestic scene of the time, adds the notion of perspective and depth.