About Ghent Altarpiece

by David Bowman

Jan Van Eyck, closed Ghent Altarpiece

One of the most fascinating artworks produced by the Northern (Renaissance) artists is unquestionably Ghent Altarpiece, sometimes called also Triumph Agnus Dei. The Latin inscription on the artwork testifies that it was begun by Hubert van Eyck and after his death completed by his brother Jan van Eyck (1395-1441). This magnificent altar was commissioned by one Jodocus Vijd and his wife Elisabeth Borluut for the then parochial church of St. John the Baptist in Ghent, a city, which was under the protection of the same patron. The church was in 1540 dedicated to St. Bavon who became the patron of the city of Ghent. The retable was commissioned as a part of the precinct leased in the church by Jodocus and Elisabeth where daily services were held regularly. The work was finished and installed in 1432 and offered one of the most spectacular views ever produced by Flemish realists.

This esoteric polyptich was praised for generations, artists and nobles from all around Europe came to admire and contemplate its mysterious iconography and praised the realisms achieved by van Eycks. The style of representation is indebted to more symbolic forms of Byzantine and Romanic art than to Flemish heritage. The composition of the open altar, focused on the adoration of the mystical Lamb and the trinity, is carefully assembled from various literary sources ranging from Old Testament, the writings of Early Church Fathers and treatises of the Middle Ages theologians. Added are many additional Latin inscriptions, often as skillful rimes, explaining or clarifying particular scenes.

Jan Van Eyck, opened Ghent Altarpiece

The altarpiece was opened for Sundays and festivals and after the service it was locked and covered with a curtain. The opened retable represents the nature of existence separated in two planes, the symbolic world above governing the world of the Lamb below. The iconography of the Lamb is based on the passage from the Revelation according to St John describing the vision after the sixth seal had been opened:

Revelation 7:9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; 10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. 11 And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, 12 Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.

The center of our attention in the symbolic world above is occupied by Rex Mundi, the ruler of the world. The representation of Majestas Domini (Christ as King) was popular in Byzantine art. The expression, Rex Mundi, which is embroidered in his gowns, has a possible Cathar flavor, for it was used by them to denote the ruler of the evil, material world. He is dressed in rich red gowns, wearing the papal crown and a scepter as the emblems of his sovereignty and his hand is raised in the gesture of the second coming. For a moment, he resembles an Egyptian god seated on his throne. A lamen of gems is on his breasts representing an equilateral cross with the pyramid in the center. Next to him are seated richly adorned Virgin Mary and John the Baptist and both are holding a book, which is quite a rare motive. The color of her dress is blue while John wears a green mantle over his fury tunic. Altogether their predominating colors red, blue, and green represent the three basic colors of light, which if merged produce a radiant white light. John is also making a gesture of a raised finger that became his trademark in Renaissance paintings of Leonardo and others.

Around the trinity is the choir of angels richly adorned playing on various Renaissance instruments. On the outmost panels are painted in the dark narrow niches Adam and Eve as two symbolic representations of proto male and female. Their appearance was striking for the early spectators, since the honesty of realism used by Jan van Eyck was disturbing and differed from other panels. If as the real models from the studio were directly transferred to the canvas without any correction and polish in manner of Italian artists yearning for the perfection of classical beauty. Above them is represented the myth of Cain’s slaughter of Abel, another important myth.