Sunday, March 10, 2013

Northern European Renaissance (pt. 6)


Van Eyck's painting of the Adoration of the Lamb displays the artist's ability to paint detail.  It contains angels, saints, and earthly worshippers moving through a green valley toward a sacrificial altar.
The lamb on the altar is a symbol for Christ (the Lamb of God), and the chalice collecting the Lamb's blood represents the Holy Grail.  The fountain in the foreground is the fountain of life.  The painting's symbolism conveys the meaning that the fountain of life (eternal life) is possible through Christ's sacrifice on the cross.  The Lamb is the obvious center of interest.  All the groups in the painting are angled and facing toward the Lamb, and some even move toward Him.  The artist took the time to paint each face—lots of detail.

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