Looking Closer at Van Eyck: Rediscovering the Ghent Altarpiece
by Gregg Chadwick The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb known informally as The Ghent Altarpiece was painted by the Flemish artist Jan van Eyck with the assistance of his brother Hubert in the 15th Century. The multi paneled artwork has been a school to artists since it was unveiled at the Saint Bavo Cathedral in Ghent in 1432. The series of paintings that form the altarpiece evoke a harmonious universe of beauty and glowing light. Jan van Eyck lived and worked in Bruges, Belgium from at least the unveiling of The Ghent Altarpiece in 1432 until his death in 1441. By then the city of Bruges had become one of the most important artistic centers in Europe. Painters traveled from all over the continent to study, collaborate and create in Bruge's fervent environment. Jan van Eyck himself was a transplant, having been born around 1390 in the village of Maaseik, just outside the city of Maastricht which is now part of The Netherlands. Amaz...