The Ghent Altarpiece: Exploring the Van Eyck Masterpiece

Excellent three week course from the London Art History Society looking in detail at the Ghent Altarpiece.

Led by Paula Nuttall, this was a clear look at the topic over three hour long, online lectures. Each week she tackled a different question, who painted it, what does it mean and what happened to it.

In week one, who painted it, we looked the physicality of the work, it’s format and how it was viewed and used. We also examined the inscription on the reverse and discussed how much was by Jan Van Eyck, who is remembered for painting it, and how much by his brother Hugo who is also credited on the inscription. We also discussed that the date, 1432, at the end of the quote means. We also took this opportunity to look at the life and work of the two artists.

Week two, what does is mean, was a wonderfully detailed look at the iconography and symbolism of the work. We discussed the various biblical works involved as well as biblical commentaries of the time and a few classical, secular works which are alluded to.

Week three then looked at the history of the work since it was completed. It has been stolen, deconstructed, restored and “carried about a lot”. From it’s survival of the iconoclasm of the 16th century, through it’s removal to Paris in the Napoleonic wars, sale of various parts of it, removal again by the Nazi’s and its subsequent rediscovery in a salt mine to its ground breaking conservation in the 1950s and more recent cleaning and examination. I particularly enjoyed the section looking at some of the recent discoveries following the removal of over painting.

An enjoyable three sessions, and although it is a shame it couldn’t go ahead in its original one day live event, it transferred well online and it probably made the illustrations easier to see and enjoy.


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