The documentary ties in with the recent restoration of the work we Flemings know as "The Lamb of God", but which many non-Flemings call "The Ghent Altarpiece". Whatever its name, it remains one of the most superb paintings ever made in the Western world. Thanks to many years of painstaking restoration - talk about patience - the work has been restored to its former glory, complete with an abundance of tiny details. Even if your interest in Flemish Primitive art is less than keen, you may recognize the recent uproar about the face of the central Christ/Lamb, which has inspired a multitude of memes. (I've got to admit that I do not grasp why this "new" face induces so much fear and fascination : it is intriguing, certainly, but I've seen worse just walking through my local cathedral.)
Foreign viewers may not realize this, but during the last century a part of the "Ghent Altarpiece" was stolen. The said panel, devoted to "The righteous judges", has never been recovered. Consequently an artist had to reconstitute the missing panel. One of the enduring criminal puzzles from Belgian history, this affair tends to resurface during the "cucumber season", much like tales about the yeti or the monster of Loch Ness.
It's a good documentary, although it could have used fewer "talking heads" and more attempts at animation and practical reconstruction. It is also a respectful tribute to the unending talent and competence of brothers Jan and Hubert Van Eyck, who created a masterwork for the ages. Thanks to the documentary, the viewer discovers a wealth of new details which only serve to confirm the genius of both brothers. Look at the image, say, of a jewel and it will dazzle and delight you ; look at a close-up and it will impress you even more ; look at a really close close-up and you will feel your jaw dropping in admiration. Everything is perfect : the way in which light illuminates and caresses an individual pearl, the way in which that selfsame pearl catches that light, complete with secondary reflection and subtly shaded shadow.
The various experts discuss matters such as the brothers' life and times, their access to scientific sources, the societal context, the emergence of new social classes, the theological meaning of the message and so on. One of the subjects, interestingly enough, is the relationship to other contemporary forms of art such as music : a close study of the singing angels, for instance, suggests they might be performing a piece of Flemish polyphonic music, which was both fashionable and acclaimed.
The brothers' techniques too are discussed. Here one of the experts is painter David Hockney. Now I do not have the pleasure of Mr. Hockney's acquaintance - I've never even met him - and for all I know, or do not know, he may be a veritable source of wisdom and knowledge. But I can't say I was deeply convinced by his theory/demonstration regarding the use of mirrors - this was one of the few segments which failed to impress me.
In short, an interesting and valuable documentary, and a fine introduction to a sublime work of art.
Foreign viewers may not realize this, but during the last century a part of the "Ghent Altarpiece" was stolen. The said panel, devoted to "The righteous judges", has never been recovered. Consequently an artist had to reconstitute the missing panel. One of the enduring criminal puzzles from Belgian history, this affair tends to resurface during the "cucumber season", much like tales about the yeti or the monster of Loch Ness.
It's a good documentary, although it could have used fewer "talking heads" and more attempts at animation and practical reconstruction. It is also a respectful tribute to the unending talent and competence of brothers Jan and Hubert Van Eyck, who created a masterwork for the ages. Thanks to the documentary, the viewer discovers a wealth of new details which only serve to confirm the genius of both brothers. Look at the image, say, of a jewel and it will dazzle and delight you ; look at a close-up and it will impress you even more ; look at a really close close-up and you will feel your jaw dropping in admiration. Everything is perfect : the way in which light illuminates and caresses an individual pearl, the way in which that selfsame pearl catches that light, complete with secondary reflection and subtly shaded shadow.
The various experts discuss matters such as the brothers' life and times, their access to scientific sources, the societal context, the emergence of new social classes, the theological meaning of the message and so on. One of the subjects, interestingly enough, is the relationship to other contemporary forms of art such as music : a close study of the singing angels, for instance, suggests they might be performing a piece of Flemish polyphonic music, which was both fashionable and acclaimed.
The brothers' techniques too are discussed. Here one of the experts is painter David Hockney. Now I do not have the pleasure of Mr. Hockney's acquaintance - I've never even met him - and for all I know, or do not know, he may be a veritable source of wisdom and knowledge. But I can't say I was deeply convinced by his theory/demonstration regarding the use of mirrors - this was one of the few segments which failed to impress me.
In short, an interesting and valuable documentary, and a fine introduction to a sublime work of art.
