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Telegraph
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Sacred Mysteries: John the Baptist as guide to the Ghent Altarpiece
St John the Baptist was lying face up on a table and Adam and Eve were standing beside one another. This was in the workshop at the Ghent Museum of Fine Arts where, since 2012, the Ghent Altarpiece, that stupendous work by Hubert and Jan van Eyck, has been undergoing restoration. From Tuesday to Friday until next March, you can watch the restorers at work. I saw damaged flecks exposed on the two panels of angel musicians. The whole polyptych, when its two wings are open, is 15ft wide and 11ft 6in high. It is now housed in the easternmost chapel, behind the high altar, of St Bavo's Cathedral in the old city of Ghent. I found visitors quietly contemplating it or taking photographs with their mobiles. I suspect that many were unaware that only four of the 12 panels on display with the wings open are the originals. The panels are arranged in two storeys and the upper storey (Adam, Angel Choir, the Virgin Mary, God, St John the Baptist, Angel Musicians, Eve) has been replaced with good colour photographs while the panels are away being restored. Someone at the Museum of Fine Arts regretted that the former practice of replacing absent panels with black and white photographs was not still being followed. One other panel is not original: a lower storey scene of Just Judges was stolen in 1934 and never recovered. It was replaced in 1945 by an indirect copy. Does it matter that visitors think they are seeing the full original? I'm not sure. I certainly didn't like the introductory presentation in the crypt where visitors are invited to wear virtual reality headsets. The visuals didn't give a convincing view but a 21st-century simulacrum, like something from a Lord of the Rings film. The audio was unconvincing too, speaking of the 'adoration'of saints in the Middle Ages, which is far from fair. One object in the crypt linked up with the Van Eycks' project in painting the altarpiece. It was a silver reliquary in the form of a head, enclosing a small relic from the skull of St John the Baptist. The cathedral was dedicated to this saint before it acquired the dedication to St Bavo, or Baaf in Flemish. John the Baptist is shown on two prominent panels: on the back in imitation of statuary, and on the front next to the central figure of God. To be sure, the widest panel shows the mystic scene of the Lamb of God, standing upon an altar, with blood flowing from its side. But John is the guide, as it were, who introduces the viewer to the heavenly tableau. The altarpiece was inaugurated on May 6 1432, when the son of Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, was baptised in the church. John is depicted not only as the baptiser but also as a citizen of heaven, flanking God, with the Virgin Mary in the place of honour on the other side. So John retains his ascetic garment of camel hair, but over it he wears a cloak of rich green hemmed with jewels. He points to God, but with his left hand holds a book open at a prophetic text that we can see includes the illuminated word Consolamini – 'Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God,' the words of Isaiah familiar from Handel's Messiah. Isaiah continues with words that fit John the Baptist as 'The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord.' Part of the genius of the Van Eycks was to include the smallest detail without it swamping the overall images. Standing before the altarpiece behind its glass screen, it is impossible to discern every detail, which can be seen online. But I am glad I went to look at the altarpiece not virtually but in reality.
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Daily Mail
The beautiful Italian city that's the country's 'treasured secret' with flights for under £20
An Italian city has been described as the country's 'treasured secret' with a beautiful coastline. According to Lonely Planet, Genoa is one of the world's best cities to visit in 2025 and one of Italy 's best hidden gems. A port metropolis on Italy's northwest coast, Genoa was the 26th most visited city in Italy in 2017 with far fewer tourists than the likes of Venice and Rome. Lonely Planet reveals: 'Few places in Italy are "undiscovered", but Genoa feels like a treasured secret. 'With a new high-speed-train connection in the works, now is the time to seek out this stately city with superlative culinary chops, a stunning seaside and a well-earned reputation as one of Italy's most historically and culturally vibrant cities.' Genoa has one of the world's largest medieval town centres. Within its depths, tourists will discover a labyrinth of caruggi (alleyways) packed with historic monuments. Cathedral San Lorenzo was built in 1098 and is said to hold the ashes of Genoa's patron saint, St John the Baptist. The city's caruggi are also packed with independent shops, some of which date as far as back as the 1600s. Romanengo 1780 is Italy's oldest sweet shop and many of its colourful creations are still made by hand. Tourists seeking the coast can head to tiny Boccadasse, a former fishing village, which Lonely Planet describes as having 'Cinque Terre vibes'. Buses run to the small colourful village which is one of Genoa's prettiest places to enjoy a gelato. It also has a picturesque pebble beach with easy access to beach bars. Children will love the Aquarium of Genoa, which is the city's best-rated attraction on Tripadvisor. It's home to dolphins, sharks and hundreds of other species. When it comes to eating, Genoa is the home of one of the UK's most beloved pasta sauces. Pesto originates from Genoa and is traditionally served on trofie pasta or focaccia. Genoa's indoor food court, the Mercato Orientale, is one of the best places to try the city's fresh produce. When to go to Genoa Genoa is warmest in July and August when temperatures can reach as high as 28 degrees. Unlike southern Italy, the city doesn't tend to suffer from heatwaves in the summer. The city has a fairly busy cruise port and the season tends to run from April to October. How to get to Genoa Ryanair operates direct flights from London Stansted to Genoa, with one way fares currently available from £18.99 in August. Alternatively, tourists could fly to Milan and then take a direct train to Genoa. easyJet, British Airways, Ryanair are among the airlines to offer direct flights to Milan. Day trip destinations from Genoa If you'd like to combine your trip to Genoa with a visit to destination, it takes around an hour and a half to get to the Cinque Terre from the city. Milan is under two hours away by train while tourists can also cross the border into France and reach Nice in around three hours by rail. Both Pisa and Lucca are also around two hours away on the train.
