Cathedrals of Belgium: 2 – Ghent and The Mysterious Polyptych

The cathedral of Saint-Bavo in Ghent is an important edifice of the “Gothique Brabançon”, the Gothic Style of the Belgian Region of Brabant. It was erected in the XIIIth century and completed during the following centuries.

The 3 naves, choir, transept and chapels date back to 1550. The choir is in blue stone of Tournai and houses the tombs of several bishops in the crypt as well as many masterpieces like the statues of Saint-Peter and Saint-Paul by Karel Van Poucke. The vault was achieved in 1628. Inside, the opulent décor of the aisles belongs to the Renaissance. The tower of the façade is 89 m high and dates from 1462-1534. It has  large sober porch, four storeys, the first one presenting a large Gothic window. The so-called lower church (transept and three naves) is in bricks and white stone (1533-1559) which is quite rare and unexpected. The cathedral was completed in 1569.

The famous Ghent altarpiece “the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb” painted by Hubert Van Eyck and completed by his brother Jan in 1432 is displayed in the cathedral. It is one of the most valuable masterpieceof the Early Renaissance and a World’s Treasure. This is a large polyptych with twelve panels closing one on top of the other. Jan van Eyck invented oil painting  and both brothers founded the first school of painting where studied Justus Christophsen, Gerhard van der Goes, Rogier de Bruges. The paintings very much interested the Germans who pilfered them during World War I. Returned to Belgium after the war in compensation for their acts of destruction, the paintings had to be hidden in Pau, France, as soon as World War II broke out. But Hitler took hold of them and transferred them to Germany. My friend and fellow Trionder Patrick Bernauw who wrote such interesting and extremely well researched books narrated this mystery. I recommend his article here about the polyptych of Van Eyck: http://socyberty.com/history/a-mystery-of-the-mystic-lamb-the-nazi-plot/ 

Both wings on the sides of the polyptych already were at the Museum of Berlin at the end of the XIXth century. The panel called “The Just judges” was stolen in 1934 and never found since then. A copy was produced in 1945. Albert Camus described the facts in “La Chute”.  Another famous painting “Saint Bavo enters the Convent at Ghent” by Peter Paul Rubens is displayed in the cathedral of Ghent.

The Cathedral Saint-Bavo in Ghent. West façade and single tower.

Photo by: Mylius – Image source: http://s3.amazonaws.com/readers/2010/12/05/gentsintbaafskathedraalvombelfriedausgesehen_1.jpg

Inside the cathedral of Ghent, aisles with Renaissance décor. Note  the rare use of red bricks and white stone.

Photo by: Carolus – Image source: http://s3.amazonaws.com/readers/2010/12/05/kooromganggent_1.jpg

“The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb” polyptych by the Van Eyck Brothers (1432).

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The Van Eyck polyptych closed. It is also called Ghent Alarpiece.

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Photo by: Xanthous Onyx.

“Saint Bavo enters the Convent in Ghent” by Peter Paul Rubens.

Photo by Carolus – Image source: http://s3.amazonaws.com/readers/2010/12/05/rubenskathedraalgent_1.jpg