The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb

This image called The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb or also the Ghent Altarpiece is part of a much larger work that includes upper and side panels (not shown). It is one of the most famous art pieces in Europe. There are whole books written on the Ghent Altarpiece with its fascinating details and interesting yet tragic history.

The Ghent altarpiece is the work of two brothers, Hubert and Jan van Eyck completed in 1432 for St. Bravo’s Cathedral in Ghent, Belgium. The scene in this panel comes from the Gospel of John 1:29 where St. John the Baptist proclaims, “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.”

The Ghent Altarpiece was made to stay in one place; instead, it became a constant target barely escaping destruction. Soon after it was created in 1566 for the Cathedral, the iconoclasm of northern Europe came along. This was a movement to destroy all religious images. It was recognized as a masterpiece, so it escaped destruction. However, it was stripped of its liturgical function when it was transferred to City Hall. The French Revolution of 1789 caused it to be moved again to various parts of Europe in hopes that it would be saved. Then there was a fire in the church. People took down the panels to rescue them, but in their haste they caused a crack down the middle, right through the Lamb. The Lamb had to be restored, during this process, some changes were made to the face of the lamb to make it more “sheep like.” In a more recent restoration, the lamb’s face was restored to the original, which, if you look closely, has more human features. The piece was hidden in a German mine during WWII by the Nazis. There were orders to blow the mine up if they found themselves losing the battle, fortunately that order was not carried out. In 1934, a burglar broke into the Cathedral and stole the panel of St. John the Baptist and, ironically, the panel of the Just Judges. The panel of John the Baptist was recovered, but the Just Judges panel has never been found. A ransom note from the thief found after he died stated: “[it] rests in a place where neither I, nor anybody else, can take it away without arousing the attention of the public.” Treasure hunters have been on the case since.

This panel of the altarpiece depicts different groups of people emerging towards the Lamb to worship him. In the center is the Lamb standing on the altar offering his blood as it pours out into the chalice. Meanwhile, the angels surround the altar, some of them carrying the instruments of the passion to remind the viewer what he suffered for us. In front of the altar there are two angels offering incense. In a line straight down the middle, our eyes follow the path from the Holy Spirit at the top of the piece to the Lamb in the center, and the water fountain near the bottom. The fountain represents the living water of Baptism. The octagonal shape of the fountain is the traditional shape of a baptismal font. Notice the water spigot and a path for the water to flow right out of the frame. This life giving water is meant for the viewer.

The theme of this image is very Eucharistic. The Lamb on the altar reminds us of the Old Testament slaughtering of the unblemished lamb in the temple as an offering to atone for sins. Jesus Christ is the unblemished lamb who offered himself as a sacrifice wherein he gives us his Body and Blood. We enter into this mystery through the life giving waters of Baptism.