The Ghent Altarpiece in Person
Some people travel to new countries to expand the percentage of the world they’ve seen. Some less adventurous but equally ambitious travelers try to visit all 50 US States, all the Major League baseball parks or some other coherent list of places. Personally, I travel to see art. Jan van Eyck’s Ghent Altarpiece was high on my “To Do List”. Sadly, efforts to protect and preserve the work really interfered with my enjoyment of the painting, making this art pilgrimage a little disappointing.

My favorite panels are the three mystic figures in the upper central section of the altarpiece – Mary, God the Father/Jesus, and St. John the Baptist (shown). (Photo: Wikicommons)