Opened view of the polyptych.

Closed view.

The Ghent Altarpiece or Adoration of the Mystic Lamb (Dutch: Het Lam Gods or The Lamb of God; completed 1432) is a very large and complex Early Netherlandish polyptych panel painting which used to be in the Joost Vijdt chapel at Saint Bavo Cathedral, Ghent, Belgium, but was later moved for security reasons to another part of the cathedral. Commissioned by the wealthy merchant and financier Joost Vijdt, it was painted by Hubert van Eyck, who died in 1426 whilst work was underway, and his younger brother Jan van Eyck. Hubert van Eyck, The Ghent Altarpiece “The Adoration of the Lamb”, painted 1432. ... Hubert van Eyck, The Ghent Altarpiece “The Adoration of the Lamb”, painted 1432. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1231x1910, 1283 KB) Jan van Eyck painting Ghent Altarpiece, finished 1432. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1231x1910, 1283 KB) Jan van Eyck painting Ghent Altarpiece, finished 1432. ... For the band, see Lamb of God (band). ... Events June 1 - Battle of San Romano - Florence defeats Siena foundation of Université de Caen In the end of the Hook and Cod wars, Jacqueline, Countess of Hainaut and Holland is forced by Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, to abdicate all her estates in his favour; end of Hainaut... The Arnolfini Portrait by Jan van Eyck, National Gallery, London. ... A polyptych (from the Greek polu- many + ptychÄ“ fold) generally refers to a painting (usually panel painting) which is divided into four or more sections, or panels. ... The Ghent Altarpiece: The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, interior view, 1432. ... The Saint Bavo Cathedral (also known as Sint-Baafs Cathedral, or the Dutch Sint Baafskathedraal) is the seat of the diocese of Ghent. ... Geography Country Belgium Community Flemish Community Region Flemish Region Province East Flanders Arrondissement Ghent Coordinates , , Area 156. ... Hubert van Eyck (also Huybrecht van Eyck) (?1366 — 1426) was a Flemish painter and older brother of Jan van Eyck. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ...

The altarpiece consists of a total of twenty-four compartmented scenes, which make up two views, open and closed, which are changed by moving the hinged outer wings. The upper register (row) of the opened view shows Christ the King (but see below) between the Virgin Mary and John the Baptist. The insides of the wings represent angels singing and making music, and on the outside Adam and Eve. The lower register of the central panel shows the adoration of the Lamb of God, with several groups in attendance and streaming in to worship, overseen by the dove representing the Holy Spirit. On week days the wings were closed, showing the Annunciation of Mary and donor portraits of Joost Vijdt and his wife Lysbette Borluut. The Annunciation Triptych is an altarpiece, ca. ... This article is about Jesus of Nazareth. ... “Our Lady” redirects here. ... St. ... This article is about the supernatural being. ... Michelangelos Creation of Adam, from the Sistine Chapel. ... For the band, see Lamb of God (band). ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      In mainstream Christianity, the... For other uses, see Annunciation (disambiguation). ...

There used to be an inscription on the frame stating that Hubert van Eyck maior quo nemo repertus (greater than anyone) started the altarpiece, but that Jan van Eyck - calling himself arte secundus (second best in the art) - finished it in 1432. The original very ornate carved outer frame and surround, presumably harmonizing with the painted tracery, was destroyed during the Reformation; there has been speculation that it may have included clockwork mechanisms for moving the shutters and even playing music.^[1] The Annunciation Triptych is an altarpiece, ca. ... Tracery is implementation of net-like decorations in a building used especially in Gothic architecture. ... The Protestant Reformation was a movement which began in the 16th century as a series of attempts to reform the Roman Catholic Church, but ended in division and the establishment of new institutions, most importantly Lutheranism, Reformed churches, and Anabaptists. ...

The original lower left panel known as The Just Judges was stolen in 1934. The original panel has never been found and has been replaced by a copy made in 1945 by Jef Vanderveken. The stolen panel figures prominently in Albert Camus' novel La chute. Copy of the Just Judges by Jef Vanderveken The Just Judges is the lower left panel of the Ghent Altarpiece, commonly attributed to Jan Van Eyck and his brother Hubert Van Eyck. ... Year 1934 (MCMXXXIV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display full 1934 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Jef Vanderveken was, no doubt, the greatest copy painter of the 20th century. ... Albert Camus (IPA: ) (November 7, 1913 – January 4, 1960) was a French author and philosopher. ... The Fall (La Chute) is a novel by Albert Camus, first published in 1956. ...

Upper front panels

Three central figures

The three central upper panels show the Virgin Mary to the left and John the Baptist to the right, but the identity of the central figure is unclear and has led to much debate. It might represent Christ in trumph, and shown as a priest,^[2] or God the Father, or the whole Holy Trinity in one person (the triple bands on the headpiece standing for this). This page is about the title, office or what is known in Christian theology as the Divine Person. ... In many religions, the supreme God is given the title and attributions of Father. ... This article concerns the holy Trinity of Christianity. ...

The Virgin Mary.

God the Father and Jesus.

John the Baptist.

Angels.

Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1622x2250, 2781 KB) Jan van Eyck painting Ghent Altarpiece, finished 1432. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1622x2250, 2781 KB) Jan van Eyck painting Ghent Altarpiece, finished 1432. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1508x2078, 2579 KB) Jan van Eyck painting Ghent Altarpiece, finished 1432. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1508x2078, 2579 KB) Jan van Eyck painting Ghent Altarpiece, finished 1432. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1700x2262, 2804 KB) Jan van Eyck painting Ghent Altarpiece, finished 1432. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1700x2262, 2804 KB) Jan van Eyck painting Ghent Altarpiece, finished 1432. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1589x1853, 1935 KB) Jan van Eyck painting Ghent Altarpiece, finished 1432. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1589x1853, 1935 KB) Jan van Eyck painting Ghent Altarpiece, finished 1432. ...

Singing angels

Surrounding the three figures in the center are angels making music and singing. The clothes, the instruments and the floor are shown in remarkable detail. In that time, hymnals had instructions on which faces to make when hitting certain notes, and through close study, art historians have been able to identify which notes each angel was singing. Even the organ, where Saint Cecilia sits, was painted in such detail that modern musicologists were able to recreate a working copy of the organ. See also hymn - a program to decrypt iTunes music files. ...

Angels - detail.

Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1648x2304, 2846 KB) Jan van Eyck painting Ghent Altarpiece, finished 1432. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1648x2304, 2846 KB) Jan van Eyck painting Ghent Altarpiece, finished 1432. ...

Adam & Eve, Cain and Abel

The upper front panels on the sides show Adam and Eve (to the left and right respectively), both facing the figures in the center. They are covering themselves with leaves and Eve is holding a fruit that is not, in fact, the traditional apple but is a small citrus known as an Adam's Apple Garden of Eden. Adam seems to be walking out of the picture, giving it a three-dimensional look. Michelangelos Creation of Adam, from the Sistine Chapel. ... Eugen Sandow as the Dying Gaul A fig leaf is the covering up of an act or an object that is embarrassing or disagreeable. ... For other uses, see Garden of Eden (disambiguation). ...

Above them are depictions in grisaille of Abel making a sacrifice of the first lamb of his flock to God and Cain presenting part of his crops as a farmer to the Lord, and the murder of Abel by his brother Cain with an ass's jawbone because, according to the Bible, Cain was jealous of the Lord's acceptance of Abel's offering over Cain's. Van Eyck makes the paintings look like statues, giving depth to the picture. The Baptism of Christ, one of Andrea del Sartos gray monochrome frescoes in the Chiostro dello Scalzo, Florence (1511-26). ... Cain and Abel redirect here. ...

In the 19th century the naked representations of Adam and Eve were considered unacceptable in a church and the panels were replaced by dressed reproductions, which are still on display in the cathedral outside the Vijdt chapel. Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ...

|Dressed reproduction of Adam and Eve. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (753x1896, 713 KB) Ghent Altarpiece painting by Jan Van Eyck, finished in 1432 19th century dressed reproduction of the naked Adam and Eve العربية | Česky | Deutsch | English | Ελληνικά | Español | فارسی | Français | עברית | Indonesian | Italiano | 日本語 | 한국어 | Magyar | Nederlands | Polski | Português | Românǎ | Русский | Slovenščina...	Sacrifices made by Abel and Cain. Image File history File links Ghent_Altarpiece_A_-_Cain_-_Abel_-_sacrifice. ...	Murder of Abel by Cain. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (823x700, 72 KB) Jan van Eyck painting Ghent Altarpiece, finished 1432. ...	Adam. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1216x2176, 1665 KB) Jan van Eyck painting Ghent Altarpiece, finished 1432. ...
Eve. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1314x2257, 1694 KB) Jan van Eyck painting Ghent Altarpiece, finished 1432. ...

Lower front panels

Lower center panel

The lower front panels show the adoration of the Lamb of God, with people streaming in from all sides to worship the lamb. From the sky a dove, representing the Holy Spirit, illuminates the scene. The lamb is surrounded by fourteen angels. In the foreground the fountain of life is flowing into a small river, its bottom covered with jewels. For the band, see Lamb of God (band). ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      In mainstream Christianity, the... Godescalc Lectionary, commemorating the Baptism of Charlemagnes son in Rome in 781 with an image of the Fountain of Life. ... For other uses, see Gemstone (disambiguation). ...

In the foreground to the left, we see a group of kneeling Jewish prophets holding the Bible, or their book of it. Behind them are the pagan philosophers and writers, who have come from all over the world as can be seen by the oriental faces of some and their different types of hats and caps. The figure in white is probably Virgil, who was seen as a Christian avant-la-lettre. To the right we see the twelve apostles, and behind them male saints, with the Popes and other clergy at the front. We recognize among others Saint Stephen, carrying the rocks he was stoned with. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... For other senses of this word, see Prophet (disambiguation). ... This Gutenberg Bible is displayed by the United States Library. ... Pagan may refer to: A believer in Paganism or Neopaganism Bagan, a city in Myanmar also known as Pagan Pagan (album), the 6th album by Celtic metal band Cruachan Pagan Island, of the Northern Mariana Islands Pagan Lorn, a metal band from Luxembourg, Europe (1994-1998) Pagans Mind, is... A philosopher is a person who thinks deeply regarding people, society, the world, and/or the universe. ... For other uses, see Virgil (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Virgil (disambiguation). ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      For other... “St. ...

In the background we see the martyrs, men (all visible are clergy) to the left and women to the right, all carrying the martyr's palm. Some of the women are recognizable by the attributes they are carrying. For other uses, see Martyr (disambiguation). ... An attribute is the following: Generally, an attribute is an abstraction characteristic of an entity In database management, an attribute is a property inherent in an entity or associated with that entity for database purposes. ...

Male martyrs, all visible are clergy. Pagan writers and Jewish prophets.

The Adoration of the Lamb.

Female martyrs. Male saints, Popes at the front.

Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1648x1774, 2189 KB) Jan van Eyck painting Ghent Altarpiece, finished 1432. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1648x1774, 2189 KB) Jan van Eyck painting Ghent Altarpiece, finished 1432. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1216x896, 860 KB) Jan van Eyck painting Ghent Altarpiece, finished 1432. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1216x896, 860 KB) Jan van Eyck painting Ghent Altarpiece, finished 1432. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1648x2280, 3113 KB) Summary Jan van Eyck painting Ghent Altarpiece, finished 1432. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1648x2280, 3113 KB) Summary Jan van Eyck painting Ghent Altarpiece, finished 1432. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1600x1760, 2287 KB) Jan van Eyck painting Ghent Altarpiece, finished 1432. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1600x1760, 2287 KB) Jan van Eyck painting Ghent Altarpiece, finished 1432. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1381x1796, 2093 KB) Jan van Eyck painting Ghent Altarpiece, finished 1432. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1381x1796, 2093 KB) Jan van Eyck painting Ghent Altarpiece, finished 1432. ...

Lower side panels

Next to the central panel we see more groups of people. The two panels to the left show the "Just Judges" and the "Knights of Christ". On the right we see hermits and pilgrims, among them the giant Saint Christopher, patron saint of travellers. For other uses, see Saint Christopher (disambiguation). ...

The lower panel at the far left, The Just Judges, was stolen in 1934. Although several people have claimed to know its whereabouts, it has never been recovered and is now believed to be destroyed. It was replaced by a copy of 1945 by Jef Vanderveken. Copy of the Just Judges by Jef Vanderveken The Just Judges is the lower left panel of the Ghent Altarpiece, commonly attributed to Jan Van Eyck and his brother Hubert Van Eyck. ...

Copy of the Just Judges by Jef Vanderveken

The Knights of Christ.

The Hermits.

The Pilgrims.

Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (634x1785, 742 KB) Jan van Eyck painting Ghent Altarpiece, finished 1432. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (634x1785, 742 KB) Jan van Eyck painting Ghent Altarpiece, finished 1432. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (593x1785, 726 KB) Jan van Eyck painting Ghent Altarpiece, finished 1432. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (593x1785, 726 KB) Jan van Eyck painting Ghent Altarpiece, finished 1432. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (573x1774, 681 KB) Jan van Eyck painting Ghent Altarpiece, finished 1432. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (573x1774, 681 KB) Jan van Eyck painting Ghent Altarpiece, finished 1432. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (633x1785, 789 KB) Jan van Eyck painting Ghent Altarpiece, finished 1432. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (633x1785, 789 KB) Jan van Eyck painting Ghent Altarpiece, finished 1432. ...

Detail

Van Eyck pays as much attention to the beauty of earthly things as to the religious themes. The clothes and jewels, the fountain, nature surrounding the scene, the churches and landscape in the background, everything is painted with remarkable detail. The landscape shows an enormous richness in vegetation, much of it non-European.

A church in the left top corner of the lower center panel. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1087x2271, 1708 KB) Jan van Eyck painting Ghent Altarpiece, finished 1432. ...

Churches in the right top corner of the lower center panel. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (2024x2473, 474 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Ghent Altarpiece ...

Horizon of the "Hermits" panel. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1517x2254, 2535 KB) Jan van Eyck painting Ghent Altarpiece, finished 1432. ...

Dozens of identifiable flowers are depicted. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1499x2221, 2471 KB) Jan van Eyck painting Ghent Altarpiece, finished 1432. ...

Closed view

Annunciation

The main register panels show the Annunciation to Mary across four panels. To the left we see the message of the archangel Gabriel, to the right the answer given by Mary, which, as in another van Eyck Annunciation is written upside-down for God to read. There has been speculation as to whether the view from the window was the view from Van Eyck's workplace in Ghent; this could give us an idea where Van Eyck lived or worked. A key piece of the Paleologan Mannerism - the Annunciation icon from Ohrid. ... Gabriel delivering the Annunciation. ... The Annunciation is a oil painting by the Early Netherlandish master Jan van Eyck, from around 1434-1436. ...

The Archangel Gabriel.

Mary.

Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1068x1868, 1377 KB) Jan van Eyck painting Ghent Altarpiece, finished 1432. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1068x1868, 1377 KB) Jan van Eyck painting Ghent Altarpiece, finished 1432. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1210x1871, 1483 KB) Jan van Eyck painting Ghent Altarpiece, finished 1432. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1210x1871, 1483 KB) Jan van Eyck painting Ghent Altarpiece, finished 1432. ...

Jodocus Vijd and Lysbette Borluut

Jodocus Vijd was a very wealthy merchant. The couple was childless and tried to live on in a different way, as patrons of this monumental painting.

Joos Vijdt

Lysbette Borluut

Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1328x1952, 1722 KB) Jan van Eyck painting Ghent Altarpiece, finished 1432. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1328x1952, 1722 KB) Jan van Eyck painting Ghent Altarpiece, finished 1432. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1552x1952, 1946 KB) Jan van Eyck painting Ghent Altarpiece, finished 1432. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1552x1952, 1946 KB) Jan van Eyck painting Ghent Altarpiece, finished 1432. ...

Other panels

Between the donors are Saint John the Baptist and Saint John the Evangelist as statues on plinths, painted in grisaille. In the top register, the prophets Zaccariah and Micah, look down from lunettes on the fulfillment of their prophecies, which are contained in banderoles floating behind them. Between them are two sibyls, whose prophecies were also thought to have foretold the coming of Christ. It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Names of John. ... In architecture, a lunette (diminutive of French lune, moon) is a half-moon shaped space, either masonry or void. ... Banderole (Fr. ... The word sibyl comes (via Latin) from the Greek word sibylla, meaning prophetess. ... The word sibyl comes (via Latin) from the Greek word sibylla, meaning prophetess. ...

See also

• Early Renaissance painting
• Into Battle with the Art of Noise

Portrait of Giovanni Arnolfini and Wife by Jan van Eyck (1434). ... Into Battle With The Art of Noise was the first EP release by the avant-garde pop group The Art of Noise, headed by high-profile producer Trevor Horn. ...

References

• Schmidt, Peter (2005). Het Lam Gods. Leuven, Belgium: Uitgeverij Davidsfonds. ISBN 90-77942-03-3. 

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Ghent Altarpiece

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External links

• Detailed notes on the iconography- Marist College
• The Metropolitan Museum
• Webmuseum, Paris: Eyck, Jan van: The Ghent altarpiece
• Jan and Hubert van Eyck: The Ghent Altarpiece - Cathedral of St. Bavon at Ghent
• Image bank of the Flemish Reproductiefonds containing high resolution digital images of the Ghent Altarpiece made on request of Saint Bavo Cathedral
• The theft of the Just Judges