The Ghent Altarpiece Display Ghent Cathedral

Reputed to be one of the foremost pieces of art in the world – and the most stolen (just watch The Monuments Men) – the Ghent Altarpiece or the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb is once more on display at Ghent Cathedral.

Created by Jan and Hubert Van Eyck in 1432, the Ghent Altarpiece consists of 18 panels depicting scenes from the Bible, including Adam and Eve and the sacrifice of the holy lamb, as well as portraits of the church warden, Joos Vijd, who commissioned the altarpiece, and his wife Elisabeth Borluut.

Millions of visitors come to the beautiful historic city of Ghent in Flanders to see the altarpiece. Now, after many years restoration, the Ghent Altarpiece has been returned to St. Bavo’s Cathedral, where it currently has its own exhibition. The restored colours are quite simply amazing.

In March 2021 the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb will be moved to a newly built Visitor Centre within the Cathedral.

Ghent Altarpiece — The amazing colours of van Eycks’ Adoration of the Mystic Lamb

Plans to conduct a series of events around Van Eyck in Ghent have been disrupted by the COVID-19 outbreak, including a floral exhibition Ghent Floralies, which has been postponed to May 2021 due to the lockdown.

However, Lights on Van Eyck, a combination of multimedia art, music and video mapping by British artist, Mat Collishaw will continue at St. Nicholas’ Church, Ghent until the end of June 2021. Similarly the Design Museum, Ghent is running an exhibition entitled Kleureyck until 27 February 2021, where artists explore Jan van Eyck’s use of colour.

For more ideas on places to visit in Flanders, read Mark Bibby Jackson’s A Day and a Night in Kortrijk, Belgium.

The Van Eyck Year marks the end of Flemish Masters 2018-2020 theme. To give visitors the opportunity to experience Van Eyck in all its glory, Visit Ghent has extended the festival year by six months until June 2021.

For more information on the Ghent Altarpiece Exhibition, click here. Access to the exhibition is included in the handy CityCard Ghent. Photos supplied by Visit Flanders.

For information on the COVID-19 measures currently in place in Belgium go to https://www.info-coronavirus.be/en/faq/.