Ghent Altarpiece, AKA The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb

 This photo shows Ghent Altarpiece closed

This photo shows Ghent Altarpiece opened. 

What is Ghent Altarpiece?

    Ghent altarpiece was first begun during 1425 in Ghent, Belgium by Hubert Van Eyck, however, after Hubert died in 1426, his brother Jan Van Eyck completed the work in 1432. This spiritual collage of paintings is also called The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, and is a polyptych. A polyptych artwork is several paintings on wooden panels that are connected by hinges and folds. When the panels are closed and open, there are two different series of paintings. The paintings in the closed view consist mainly of religious figures, while the paintings in the open view consist more of religious scenarios. Each painting is oil on wooden panel, and when closed the entirety is 11.5ft x 7.6ft, opened is 11.5ft x 15.1ft. This polyptych was created for the Church of Saint John (now Cathedral of Saint Bavo), which is located in Ghent. Ghent Altarpiece is directly related to The Reformation, and was nearly destroyed in 1566 after being stolen by rioting calvinists. 

"Starting from 1566, it was reportedly stolen by Calvinists who wanted to burn it, and by Napoleon's soldiers during the French Revolution. Reportedly, four panels were displayed in the Louvre, however, these were returned to Ghent in 1815 by King Louis XVIII." 

"Ghent Altarpiece By Jan Van Eyck- Studying Jan Van Eyck's Iconic Work." Art in Context, 12 Apr. 2022, https://artincontext.org/ghent-altarpiece/

Subject Matter and Context

    When the panels are closed, many monochromatic colors are used. The top panels in the closed view depict the Annunciation of christ, the middle panels show a room with a sybil on each side, and in the middle of the bottom panels, John the Baptist is featured next to John the Evangelist, with the donors Joos  Vijd and Elizabeth Borluut on each side of them. 

    The open panel view shows that colors are significantly brighter, with many vibrant reds and greens. In the bottom middle is the painting that gives the artwork its name, The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, where angels are presented gathering around and glorifying the lamb of god (christ), while groups of religious people gather behind as they pray and read the Bible. Above that is a man depicted to be God, blessing with his right hand and draped in bright red. To the left of the figure of God is The Virgin Mary, who is dressed in blue, and to the right is John the Baptist, fashioned in bright green. Flanking the left of the three heavenly figures is a group of female angels singing, and on the right is a group of female angels playing instruments. At the end of the top panels on the left side, a nude representation of Adam is present, while on the end of the top panels on the right is a nude representation of Eve. Below these paintings flanking the left of The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb is the Just Judges and Knights of Christ, which illustrates politicians and knights on horses. Flanking The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb on the right are more groups of people coming to praise christ, consisting of hermits and pilgrims. 

    Jan Van Eyck was commissioned to paint Ghent Altarpiece by a wealthy merchant, Joos Vijd and his wife Elizabeth Borluut, who wanted the artwork to be placed amongst the Church of Saint John in a newly built chapel they had paid for. During this 13th century, the church was being rebuilt into a more gothic style, which was increasingly common during the northern renaissance. Paintings within Ghent Altarpiece represent biblical passages, and The Adoration of the Lamb represents the crucifixion of Christ, where Jesus spilled his blood to rid the world of sin, much like the lamb's blood is spilled into a chalice as he is worshipped by angels and followers. 

Art Elements and Attention to Detail

    Jan Van Eyck, who is considered "the father of oil painting", uses realism in this art piece and throughout all of his artwork, which embodies characteristics of the Northern Renaissance. In addition, he is known for his extensive illustration of jewels and fabrics and provides every aspect of his art with intricate detail. Eyck's use of color inside the polyptych provides an uplifting or pleasant feeling, which is fitting for such a holy setting within the art. Vibrant reds and greens indicate powerful religious figures, such as God and the angels, as well as nature and health. Light is brought into play in the top center of The Adoration of the Lamb, and is casted down upon the scene. White and yellow light is illuminated to provide the lamb with a sense of divinity, as well as to symbolize and introduce God into the environment. In addition to light, space also plays an important role in this piece by adding depth to the domain. Depth allows the viewer to see the lamb and alter as the center of the painting, along with to depict that people have gathered from all around by including the city and hills in the background. 

Hang it on my Wall? No Thanks.

    I find Ghent Altarpiece to be stunning and the detail really blows my mind, especially when I think about how it was created in the early 1400s. It is an intensely spiritual artwork, and holds the meaning to symbolize the crucifixion and resurrection of christ along with other biblical aspects. Looking at the paintings without analyzing what's going on, it gives a pleasant feel, but after depicting the meaning of each painting and scenario, it's a little too dark for me. Something about the image of a lamb bleeding out and people praising it actually scares me, to an extent. The art and strategy of the painting is truly amazing and it's quite interesting to learn about, but not something I would put in my home; Plus, it doesn't go with my home's aesthetic. 

Jones, Susan. “The Ghent Altarpiece.” In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Oct. 2002, https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/ghnt/hd_ghnt.htm. Accessed 3 October 2022.

"Ghent Altarpiece By Jan Van Eyck- Studying Jan Van Eyck's Iconic Work." Art in Context, 12 Apr. 2022, https://artincontext.org/ghent-altarpiece/. Accessed 3 October 2022. 

Clayton, David. “The Ghent Altarpiece- What Makes it so Suited for the Liturgy?.” The New Liturgical Movement, 21 Apr. 2016, https://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2016/04/the-ghent-altarpiece-what-makes-it-so.html#.YzuXiS-B1QI. Accessed 3 October 2022.