DK Travel : Brussels, Bruges, Antwerp and Ghent : The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb

The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb

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St Bavo’s cathedral in Ghent is home to one of the greatest cultural treasures of northern Europe. This huge, exquisitely painted polyptych is the masterpiece of the brothers Hubrecht and Jan van Eyck. Its survival is something of a miracle. It was rescued from Protestant vandals in 1566, and from fire in 1822. Parts were carried off by French soldiers in 1794, sold in 1816, then stolen in 1934. The original has been reconstructed in its entirety, apart from the lower left panel (a modern copy). It is kept in the Vijd Chapel, named after its original patron.
The audioguide to the polyptych (available in several languages) is included in the ticket price. It is long, but extremely informative. For more on St Bavo’s cathedral (see Sint-Baafskathedraal)

Top 10 Features

1. The Polyptych

The painting consists of 12 panels, four in the centre and four on each of the folding wings. The lower tier depicts the spirituality of the world, and God’s chosen people; the upper tier shows the heavenly realm with Adam and Eve on either end.
2. The Mystic Lamb of God

The focus of this panel is the Lamb of God, spurting blood on an altar. Four sets of figures approach: virgin martyrs; figures from the New Testament and the Church; patriarchs and prophets of the Old Testament; and confessors of the Faith.
3. God the Almighty

The central figure of the upper tier is God, depicted in a brilliant red robe and a bejewelled mitre, carrying a sceptre and with a crown at his feet. The benign calm and poisa of the face radiate throughout the polyptych.
4. Flowers

The numerous flowers make a philosophical point: everything in nature is an expression of God’s work. The painter’s job was to record it faithfully.
5. Mary

The figure of Mary tells us much about the concept of feminine beauty in medieval times. Fine-featured, absorbed in her reading, she is decked with jewels.
6. The Angel-musicians

A heavenly choir sings on one side of the upper tier, while on the other, an orchestra of angels plays. The figures are tightly crowded, but the perspective is good.
7. Eve

Jan van Eyck’s contemporaries were startled by the realism of his Adam and Eve. Even today, their nudity among the luxuriously clothed figures is striking. Beautifully lit from the right, they show the painter’s profound understanding of the human form.
8. The Idealized City

To the rear of the central panel rise the towers and spires of the heavenly city, Jerusalem.
9. The Inscription

In the 19th century, a verse inscription by the two brothers, thought to be original, was uncovered on the frame.
10. The External Panels

The wings of the painting can be closed. The external panels are tonally quite flat, intensifying the moment they are opened to reveal the sumptuous interior.

Practical Information

There are several friendly cafés immediately outside the cathedral. More spectacular, though, is the De Foyer café-restaurant on the first floor of the Schouwburg (theatre), with a terrace overlooking the square (see Theatercafé De Foyer). Get there well before closing time: the Vijd Chapel shuts promptly. Last tickets are issued 15 minutes before closing; last audio-guides (which last 50 minutes), 30 minutes before closing. Sint-Baafskathedraal, Sint-Baafsplein 09 269 20 45 Open Apr–Oct: 9:30am–4:45pm Mon–Sat, 1–4:30pm Sun; Nov–Mar: 10:30am–3:45pm Mon–Sat, 1–3:30pm Sun Admission: €3, children aged 6–12 €1.50