Deciphering a Masterpiece

On September 29th, SJV’s Adult Formation Ministry provided the unique opportunity to marvel at and discover the meaning, the history and the rich details of the famous Ghent Altar Piece, via a lecture by Professor Danny Praet from the University of Ghent in Belgium.
Professor Praet took us on an amazing journey covering all aspects of the monumental altar piece by Jan Van Eyck, also referred to as “The Lamb of God” or “The Mystic Lamb.” From its completion in 1432, until it was finally rescued after World War II and returned to the Ghent Cathedral, the “Mystic Lamb” is one of the most sought after art pieces of all time. He also showed us incredibly detailed images indicating the unprecedented realism carefully crafted by Van Eyck, setting the piece aside its medieval predecessors and into the renaissance era. To learn more and browse through high definition images of this monumental artwork, please visit: closertovaneyck.kikirpa.be.
By studying the structure of the Ghent Altar Piece and the theological and philosophical trends during Van Eyck’s time, Professor Praet has formulated a new interpretation aimed to unravel the mystery of its symbolism. To learn more about Professor Danny Praet and his presentation, please visit the Adult Formation Blog, Developing News.