Third phase Ghent Altarpiece: First results promise stunning outcome

Then the KIK-IRPA team removed non-original varnish, which immediately resulted in a totally different appearance of the paintings, with its exceptionally fine details and subtle color nuances. The conservator-restorers studied each surface of the revealed paint layers under the microscope. They supplemented their observations with the results of scientific imaging, lab analyses, and documentation on the restoration history of the Ghent Altarpiece. From those meticulous studies, it was found that the upper panels of the Ghent Altarpiece are also in large parts covered with overpaints dating back to the 16th century.

The progressive removal of the thick, discolored varnish layers on the Adam and Eve panels has again revealed the extraordinary virtuosity of the Van Eyck brothers. The exceptionally fine details and subtle color nuances can now be fully admired, while the three-dimensionality of the figures becomes fully apparent. The nearly completed varnish removal on the press brocades of Mary, the Deity and John the Baptist already provides enormous gains at this stage of the treatment: the three monumental, central figures now stand out more sharply against the background and regain their volume and spatial presence. Moreover, the shimmer of the gold leaf can again be experienced and admired.

With the removal of the 16th-century overpaints on the singing and music-making angels and on the panels with John the Baptist, Mary and the Deity, the conservators recover the transparent layers, soft modulations and deep shadows so characteristic of the Van Eyck brothers. While uncovering the original paint layers of the cloaks on the central panels, which are heavily overpainted, the meticulous brushwork of the original folds is gradually revealed, and the original bright and intense colors resurface.