Ghent

We stopped on the way to Bruges, to visit Ghent. Literally, two hours off and then back on the train. The main reason to even stop here was to visit St. Bravo Church, home of Van Eyck’s Ghent Altarpiece. This is not just any old altarpiece (as if there is such a thing). The altarpiece is an iconic oil painting; measuring 11’ high and 15’ across when opened. When closed, the doors of the altarpiece illustrate the Annunciation, images of St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist (patron saints of the town and the cloth guild) and an image of the donors. When opened, the top section illustrates, the Virgin Mary, the Dessis (God the Father and Christ in one image), St. John the Baptist, surrounded by a choir of angels, with Adam and Eve on the side wings; below is the Sacrificial Lamb in heaven, surrounded by cardinals, martyrs, saints, etc. (Geeze, I’m on vacation and this sounds like I’m giving a lecture. Do I ever stop working?)

When I lecture on some artworks, I hit the points on why this piece is important enough to be included in the textbook. It may illustrate some technique, or composition that was typical, or radical, for that culture. Some artworks are tipping points for new styles to follow. And then there are some artworks that I feel are so amazing, that I’ll talk about them regardless. This altarpiece isn’t always in the survey text, but I always manage to show it.

Van Eyck (and his brother plus a whole workshop of painters who also worked on the piece) captured the smallest details and textures. There have been some x-rays and ultra-violet work done which showed that Van Eyck used up to 100 thin layers of paint (typically known as glazing.)

DH is patient with me and this (somewhat) bizarre side trip. We drop off our bags in the train station locker, and catch a tram into the city. After deducing which church was St. Bravo (“Look, it’s gotta be that one with a huge tour group leaving.”), we get there an hour before it closes. The church itself is free, but you have to pay to see the altarpiece (of course).

I would love to show you the pictures I took, but photography wasn’t allowed. Even if it was permitted, my photos would be horrible with the light reflecting off the smudged glass. (It’s starting to get tedious hauling this tripod, lens, etc around and not being able to use them.)

Yes, it is indeed huge; it fills its own small, temperature-controlled room of glass and medal. But all that detail is lost by its sheer size. When a work is 12 feet up in the air, seeing all that detail is next to impossible.