Uncovering the Ghent Altarpiece

For more than 500 years, the Ghent Altarpiece has been the subject of mystery, a holder of secrets and a pivotal work in the history of art. It also holds the dubious honour of being the most stolen work of art, with everyone from Napoleon to the Nazis claiming it for themselves.

For all the drama, amazingly, the entire altarpiece is only missing one panel, and a copy exists to make it complete. Now, for more than 10 years, restoration work has been painstakingly performed on the entire altarpiece, leading to the discovery of some forgotten secrets, though other secrets remain shrouded. While the restoration work is not the first attempt, it is the most extensive and has made use of the latest in technology to give restorers and art historians a new understanding of what is considered to be one of the most influential works in the Western World.

Pivotal work

The Ghent Altarpiece, also known as the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb for the primary panel, was constructed and painted by the brothers Hubert and Jan van Eyck and finished in 1432. No other attributable work by Hubert is known, but his younger brother Jan is one of the most highly respected Early Netherlandish artists, shepherding in the Northern European Renaissance with his skill with oil paint.

The altarpiece is one of the first major oil paintings and helped herald the shift of art from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance. As well as the change in paint medium

–tempera and other faster-drying paints were previously used – there’s a greater focus on portraying a more naturalistic world, with recognisable flora, softer drapery and more realistic bodies, compared to the flat, angular depictions of the previous Byzantine period.

Open and closed

Consisting of 12 interior and 12 exterior panels, the altarpiece is incredibly large, measuring approximately 4.6 x 3.5 metres when open. However, the altarpiece would only be opened, typically on feast days. When open, the altarpiece is divided into two horizontal registers. The top central register is a Deësis, a typical Byzantine element with God or Christ in the centre, with the Virgin Mary on the left and John the Baptist on the right. The upper register is completed with further flanking panels of musical angels and, finally, Adam and Eve at the ends after they have been cast out of Eden. The lower register has the primary panel with the adoration of the mystic lamb, the fountain of youth before it and groupings of saints, martyrs, church figures and prophets spread out on each side. The Just Judges and the Knights of Christ fill out the rest of the lower register panels. It is the Just Judges panel on the left that is the only non-original piece. It was stolen in 1934 and never recovered, but a copy by a Belgian art restorer (and art forger) was produced to create the complete altarpiece.

When closed, there are 12 smaller panels with lunettes of prophets and sibyls at the top, above a depiction of the annunciation, and below are paintings of St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist, in the centre, flanked by larger-than-life, but realistic portraits of the donors, Joost Vijd (a wealthy merchant and mayor of Ghent) and his wife Lysbette Borluut.

Restoration then and now

The first restoration of the altarpiece was conducted in 1550, roughly 125 years after the painting was completed. One of the people involved in the restoration was Jan van Scorel, a famous artist in his own right and personal artist to the only Dutch pope, Adrian VI. However, the restoration had some setbacks as the cleaning process resulted in damage to the padella, the illustrated base of the frame.

Another restoration was done in 1823 during which an inscription was discovered that stated the names of the donors, the date completed, and who created the altarpiece. Hubert van Eyck was described as “greater than anyone”, having started the altarpiece, but he died before it was completed, and his brother, Jan van Eyck, listed himself as “second best in art”. After a great deal of study by historians and restorers, it is now believed that this inscription was a loving tribute from Jan to his older brother.

Another restoration took place in 1950, after the altarpiece was recovered from the Austrian salt mines in which it was stored at one point during WWII, as various Nazi officials – including Hitler and Göring – tried to lay claim to it. The recovery after the war is even mentioned in The Monuments Men film (2014). Between the extensive travel done to protect it and the storage in the salt mines, there was significant damage.

Finally, in 2010, a study was conducted that determined there was the need to remove the yellowing varnish and adjust some of the colours from previous retouches. The work first began in 2012 and continues in phases, with individual panels restored one at a time to allow the work to remain on display. In addition, an exhibit hall at The Museum of Fine Art in Ghent was turned into a conservation studio designed to protect the restoration work, but with large windows so that visitors can see the work in progress.

Advanced imaging techniques and new mathematical techniques have been used to reverse the effects of ageing and determine what is original and what is overpainting. The use of macrophotography, infrared macrophotography, infrared reflectography and X-radiography have provided new insights into the painting of the altarpiece and the extent of overpainting.

They discovered that some panels had more than 70% overpainting. Even the face of the Lamb of God was changed considerably. It was overpainted to create a more natural-looking lamb, but it was discovered that van Eyck intentionally painted a more humanoid face, with forward-facing eyes that look to the viewer. This was a typical stylistic choice in the Middle Ages, particularly as the Lamb of God is a representation of Christ, and the more human and intense gaze further strengthens the correlation between the sacrificial lamb and Christ. Though the appearance may be disturbing to contemporary viewers, it would have been understood and accepted when painted in the 1400s.

The removal of the overpainting was able to be done because the original varnish served as a barrier to the later painting, so with solvents and scalpels and painstaking work, the altarpiece is slowly returning to its original glory and iconography.

The majority of the altarpiece has now been restored and has been returned to its original home in St. Bavo’s Cathedral in Ghent. Though originally housed in the donor’s Vijd Chapel, it now makes its home in the Villa Chapel, which is larger, enabling more visitors. However, the altarpiece is housed within a climate-controlled, bullet-proof glass display case. A special website called Closer to Van Eyck has also been developed with high-resolution images of the altarpiece, including the various infrared and X-ray images, to allow everyone a chance to get up close and personal with this iconic altarpiece that has captured the interest of so many throughout the centuries.

Welcome to Brussels!

If you’re planning a trip to the Belgian capital, the following pages will provide valuable information on everything from when to go and how to get there, to practicing proper etiquette when dealing with the Bruxellois. We’ve also listed interesting places to visit and some of the city’s must-try culinary delights (because there’s more to Brussels than waffles and chocolate)! Plus, you’ll get to meet two of the city’s biggest icons – Jacques Brel and Manneken Pis. On y va!

Allow us to point out some easy ways to get more out of your city trip to Brussels. When should you go? What’s the best way to get there? Where should you stay? Which items are indispensable in your luggage? There is so much to see in Brussels, so don’t waste your valuable city-tripping time on figuring it all out on the spot.

When to go?

Let’s face it: Brussels isn’t exactly an exotic, sunny paradise. In fact, the weather is pretty much the same as in the United Kingdom, if a tad drier. To increase your odds of having a sunny stay, late spring or