Sunday Art Snapshot: The Ghent Altarpiece
The mystery of the Mystic Lamb
Hi! I'm Gabrijela from FlashFacts. Click on the “subscribe” button and leave your email to receive daily quick facts on a wide range of topics, packed into concise, 100-word flashes of knowledge. Perfect for a daily read that takes less than a minute!
The Ghent Altarpiece, also known as “The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb,” is one of the most celebrated artworks in history.
Created by brothers Hubert and Jan van Eyck in 1432, this massive, multi-paneled piece lives in St. Bavo's Cathedral in Ghent, Belgium. This masterpiece is an important example of the transition from Medieval to Renaissance art and is considered a masterpiece of European art, identified by some as “the first major oil painting”. 🎨
Over the centuries it was stolen many times (and returned), and one panel is still missing. There’s even a rumor Hitler and Göring fought over this painting since both wanted it for their private collections!
If you want to find out more about Belgium, read this post from my Journey Jots publication: Belgium’s Industrial Masterpieces: The Canal du Centre Boat Lifts.