The Ghent Altarpiece: Virgins

This week in Netherlandish painting was an adventure.


Firstly it's a three hour lecture and as soon as the clock hits 51 minutes Bliss starts to squirm, looking very uncomfortable. I later discover they have 50 minute lectures in Applied Science.... oh boy.


Anyway, the topic of discussion was the Ghent Altarpiece by Hubert and Jan van Eyck from 1432 (which my mother tells me I've seen though I was small and obnoxious and quickly ran through the church ignoring it.)

It's quite spectacular. 


We get onto iconographical discussion (yippee) and sometime along the discussion of the 1000 Virgins in the corner Bliss leans over and scribbles:

So true.

The Virgin Martyrs... I believe this is what we were talking about.


- Life is good

[Photos from Wikipedia and Art History Blog]

Shahira (and Bliss)