It is basically the most frequently stolen artwork in human history. That’s not hyperbole. We are talking about the Ghent Altarpiece, or The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, a massive, hinge-folded polyptych that has survived fires, iconoclasm, Napoléon, and literally being hunted by the Nazis. If you walk into St. Bavo's Cathedral in Ghent today, you’re looking at something that probably shouldn’t exist anymore.
Most people see "Old Master" paintings and think of dusty museums and quiet contemplation. This thing is different. It’s heavy. It’s loud. It’s arguably the most influential painting ever made because it essentially perfected oil painting as we know it. Hubert and Jan van Eyck didn't just paint some religious scenes; they created a high-definition window into another world at a time when most art looked like flat, gold-leafed cardboard.
Why the Ghent Altarpiece changed everything
Before the Van Eyck brothers finished this in 1432, most European art used tempera—egg yolk mixed with pigment. It dries fast. It’s matte. You can’t really layer it. Jan van Eyck (and supposedly his brother Hubert, though his contribution is a bit of a mystery) pioneered the use of translucent oil glazes.
This changed the game.
Because oil dries slowly, Jan could blend colors directly on the panel. He could paint light. When you look at the Ghent Altarpiece today—especially after the massive multi-million dollar restoration completed a few years ago—the realism is unsettling. He painted the reflections in the jewels on the angels' robes. He painted the individual hairs on a beard. He even painted the atmospheric perspective of the distant blue hills, something that wasn't really a "thing" yet in the early 15th century.
Honestly, the scale is what gets you. It’s 12 panels if you count the front and back. It weighs two tons. It was commissioned by Joos Vijd, a wealthy Ghent merchant, and his wife Elisabeth Borluut. They’re actually painted on the outer panels, kneeling in prayer. Imagine being so rich you could hire the greatest living artist to paint you into a permanent state of piety for the next six hundred years.
The lamb with the human face
One of the biggest controversies in recent art history involves the central figure: the Lamb of God. For centuries, people saw a somewhat generic, "sheep-like" lamb in the center of the main panel.
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During the 2012–2020 restoration led by the Royal Institute for Cultural Heritage (KIK-IRPA), conservators realized that about 70% of the painting had been overpainted in the 16th century. When they stripped away the "newer" paint, they found Jan van Eyck’s original lamb.
It was a shock.
The original lamb has very human-looking eyes. It looks directly at the viewer with an intense, almost haunting gaze. It doesn't look like a farm animal; it looks like a conscious, divine being. Some people hated it when it was first revealed, calling it "creepy" or "bizarre," but art historians were thrilled. It was the first time in nearly 500 years that we saw what Van Eyck actually intended. This kind of detail—the willingness to make the divine look "uncanny"—is exactly why the Ghent Altarpiece remains a masterpiece.
A history of being stolen
You’d think a two-ton wooden altarpiece would be hard to lose. You’d be wrong.
The Ghent Altarpiece has been "kidnapped" more than a dozen times. During the Reformation, Calvinists tried to burn it, but it was hidden in the cathedral tower. Napoléon hauled it off to Paris as war booty. During World War I, the Germans took parts of it, claiming it belonged in Berlin.
But the real drama happened in World War II.
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Adolf Hitler and Hermann Göring were both obsessed with it. Hitler wanted it for his "Führermuseum" in Linz. He sent agents to track it down after it was moved to the Château de Pau in southern France for safekeeping. The Nazis eventually grabbed it and hid it in the Altaussee salt mines in Austria.
This is where the "Monuments Men" come in. When the Allied forces were closing in, the Nazis were ordered to blow up the mines—and the art inside—rather than let it fall into enemy hands. Thankfully, local miners helped sabotage the demolition, and the Ghent Altarpiece was saved from being turned into splinters and dust.
The mystery of the Just Judges
There is one part of the painting that is still missing.
In 1934, the "Just Judges" panel was stolen in the middle of the night. A series of ransom notes followed, signed by "D.U.A." The thief eventually died—his name was likely Arsène Goedertier—and on his deathbed, he supposedly whispered that he was taking the secret of the panel’s location to his grave.
Today, the panel you see in Ghent is a copy. It was painted by Jef Van der Veken during the 1940s. He did such a good job that some conspiracy theorists think he didn't paint a copy at all, but rather "restored" the stolen original. To this day, amateur detectives and professional investigators still search for the original "Just Judges" panel in Belgian attics and behind wall panels. It’s the art world’s equivalent of the Gardner Museum heist, but with a 15th-century Flemish twist.
The restoration that changed our perspective
If you haven't been to Ghent since 2020, you haven't really seen the painting. The restoration was a massive undertaking. They used X-ray fluorescence and infrared reflectography to see through the layers of grime and old varnish.
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What they found was a level of detail that borders on the obsessive.
In the "Adoration" panel, there are dozens of different plant species—lilies, roses, wild strawberries—all painted with botanical precision. You can identify the specific types of moss on the rocks. The restoration also brought back the depth of the sky. Instead of a muddy yellowish-brown, we now see a vibrant, atmospheric blue that makes the whole scene feel like it’s breathing.
How to actually see it today
Don't just show up and expect to walk in. The Ghent Altarpiece is now housed in a high-tech, climate-controlled glass case inside the Villa Chapel at St. Bavo’s Cathedral. It’s a bulletproof, temperature-stabilized environment that cost millions to build.
- Book ahead: Tickets are timed. If you just roll up on a Saturday afternoon, you’re probably going to be disappointed.
- The VR Experience: They’ve added a Virtual Reality tour in the crypt before you see the actual painting. Usually, VR in museums is kinda gimmicky, but this one is actually helpful for understanding the "who’s who" of the 100+ figures in the painting.
- The "Folded" State: Remember that the altarpiece was designed to be closed. On weekdays and non-holidays, it’s often kept closed to protect the interior colors, showing the Annunciation and the donors. It’s usually opened during specific hours or on feast days. Check the cathedral schedule before you go.
Actionable insights for your visit
If you are planning a trip to see this bucket-list item, keep a few things in mind. First, Ghent is only about 30 minutes by train from Brussels or Bruges. It’s an easy day trip, but the city deserves more time than that.
When you’re standing in front of the panels, look at the floor. In the central panel, the way the shadows fall from the figures doesn't just go "back"—it follows the logic of the light source that would have come from the actual windows in the original chapel. Jan van Eyck was thinking about the architecture of the room while he was painting.
Also, pay attention to the singing angels. Their mouths are shaped differently depending on the notes they are supposed to be hitting. Musicologists have actually studied the painting to figure out what polyphonic music they might be performing based on their facial expressions. It’s that level of detail that makes this more than just a religious icon; it’s a data-heavy record of the Burgundian Netherlands.
The Ghent Altarpiece isn't just "important." It’s a survivor. Every time you look at that weird, human-eyed lamb, you’re looking at something that has survived the worst of humanity and come out the other side still glowing with 15th-century light.
Your next steps for exploring the Ghent Altarpiece:
- Check the official Sint-Baafskathedraal website for the current "open/closed" schedule of the inner panels, as this changes based on liturgical seasons and conservation needs.
- Download the "Closer to Van Eyck" app or visit the website (closertovaneyck.kikirpa.be) before you go. It allows you to zoom in on ultra-high-resolution macro photos of every square inch, which is impossible to do in person behind the glass.
- Visit the MSK (Museum of Fine Arts) in Ghent if you want to see where the ongoing restoration work for the remaining panels is happening; you can often watch conservators work through a glass wall.