On the program we are seeing a ton of art and have had opportunities to travel when not doing things with the group to see more! Since the program started, some of my classmates and I have been trying to plan trips to various places near where we will be with the program. One of the places we identified early on was Belgium, and more specifically Ghent, It is in Ghent that the famous Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, or Ghent Altarpiece, which was painted in 1430 by the Van Eyck brothers, is housed.  A couple of weeks ago we had planned a weekend trip to Amsterdam with the idea of returning by way of Brussels and Ghent to see this work. However, we had made the foolish mistake to buy our tickets to Belgium for Monday, when all the museums are closed. So after the initial disappointment at our folly we regrouped and again tried to figure out a way to get to Ghent.  This past Friday, when hearing that we would have Sunday free, we quickly threw together a plan to rent a car for the day to get to Brussels and Ghent. Brussels is about two and a half hours from Cologne and Ghent another forty-five minutes from Brussels, so we had planned a full day, trying to go to three museums in Brussels before making our way to Ghent. We therefore, stated our morning early catching a train to the car rental around 6:30.

So after a hectic morning of traveling and trying to take in huge amounts of art between the three museums in Brussels, we left for Ghent around 3:00 with the knowledge that the Church and museum where the Altarpiece is currently being shown close at 5:00 and 6:00 respectively. We were pushing it to say the least. By the time we had found parking it was already around 4:15, we still had a twenty minute walk to the church.  This whole time in the back of our minds was the possibility of running out of time and missing the thing we had tried so hard to come see. As we walked swiftly through the rambling streets of Ghent we found ourselves in the midst of crowds of people and surrounded by various street vendors because it just so happened to be  Gentse Feesten that day, which is an annual music festival. Around 4:35, we found our way into the church but it was the wrong one! After asking for directions we finally were on our way to saint Bavo Cathedral where the Altarpiece was actually held. At this point we were doing our fastest speed walk to get there and with just about twenty minutes till closing we made it.

After so much frantic running around and stimulation from the already full day of travel and art viewing, compounded by the fact that we had navigated through Ghent in the midst of their festival, walking into the calm and peaceful church was a stark contrast to our day up till this point. The church had soft choral music playing and the noise from the festival was muffled and muted in the church. On our left, after the entering, was a small booth where we purchased our tickets and then we entered the small chapel to finally see the Altarpiece.

Awe Struck and blown away characterizes my reactions to seeing it. I had first learned of the Altarpiece in my high school art history course my junior year and remember thinking at the time that it was impressive and thinking that maybe at some point in my life I would be able to see it. I was in part overcome with awe because here I was finally, after all our planning and effort, right up close with this masterpiece. It was the first great oil painting and a forerunner to artistic realism and so some argue the most important painting in art history. I was not prepared for how large it was with it quite powerfully taking up most of the space in the room. Maybe it is dramatic but time did seem to slow down as I spent the precious fifteen minutes we had till closing taking it in.

The detail and perfection of the images is incredible, even more so when I think of how old it is. I am struck by the intense realism of it all, especially in the crown of God and the realistic rendering of the peoples’ robes that really bring the figures to life. It is difficult to see from behind the glass but the artists painted each and every individual leaf on the foliage in the center panel.  My thoughts then went to the historical significance of this work. People have been making pilgrimages to see it from the moment it was painted in 1432 till the present. This made me think of my journey to get here, and how so many others before me have surely gone through even more effort to get here. It was almost destroyed in a fire, it has been stolen by numerous rulers from napoleon to the Nazi’s and famously one of its panels is still missing. (see: https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2013/dec/20/ghent-altarpiece-most-stolen-artwork-of-all-time ) Then I think of the original intent. This was painted for the church and for the glory of God and the amount of effort and focus put into its creation reflects the importance and reverence for religion. I think anyone, religious or not, when viewing this piece will feel the power and glory it is supposed to represent.

While a very different commission, I was reminded of my trip to Florence and seeing the frescoes done by Fra Angelico in the monastery of San Marco. In each of the rooms, that would have been humble living corridors for monks, he painted a fresco depicting biblical scenes. These paintings are very intimate as they were used by the individuals living there to aid them in their religious faith. This makes them humble, yet powerful images because of their importance to the people that used them. The Ghent Altarpiece, while no doubt much more grand and intended for the public eye, and potentially to demonstrate the power of the church, still seems to encapsulate a similar kind of intimacy that I felt in the Monastery. It is easy to imagine how being in the presence of the Altarpiece could aid in someone’s religious experience because the Altarpiece is effective at reflecting the power and glory of God through its religious imagery and brilliant execution. Also the Altarpiece reflects the artist’s intimate connection to the work with all of the detail he put into it.

When the guard finally told us that it was time to go, it felt like I was being pulled out of a trance. I stayed in the doorway while the other guests were ushered out, intently staring at the image of God hoping to imprint it all on my mind. Finally, I turned my head and headed out. Some of the original panels were in a different location, at the Museum of Fine Art in Ghent, so we then made our way there. But seeing the Altarpiece in its original location at the church was the most impressionable, although it was still amazing to see the other original panels in the museum.

Now reflecting on this day I realize that I had originally thought of it as just another art trip, effectively another day of being an art tourist trying to see another masterpiece, but maybe it was more than that. It was more of a pilgrimage… wasn’t it?  Maybe not entirely a religious experience but I do feel that I, in some way, paid homage to the piece, and surely I recognized how special it is. I also question when, if ever, I will return to Ghent. All the more reasons that I will not forget the memories of our journey or the great things I saw there.