The Ghent Altarpiece: A Journey Through History

The Ghent Altarpiece, a masterpiece by Jan van Eyck, has a tumultuous history of thefts and restorations. It was stolen in 1934, with one panel still missing. During WWII, the Nazis seized it, but it was recovered by the Monuments Men. The Altarpiece is renowned for its pioneering use of oil paint and Realism. Recent conservation revealed hidden details and confirmed the missing panel remains lost.

What event in 1934 led to a series of ransom notes regarding the Ghent Altarpiece?

• The Altarpiece was burned.

• The Altarpiece was forged.

• A panel was stolen.

• The Altarpiece was sold.

Who was suspected of painting over the original panel of the Ghent Altarpiece?

• A Ghent detective

• Jef van der Veken

• A Nazi official

• A local cheese shop owner

What was Hitler's intention for the Ghent Altarpiece during World War II?

• To destroy it

• To display it in a grand museum

• To sell it

• To return it to Belgium

How did the Monuments Men learn about the location of the stolen art?

• Through a local dentist

• By following a map

• By intercepting a Nazi communication

• From a captured Nazi soldier

What painting technique did Jan van Eyck use to create the Ghent Altarpiece?

• Watercolor

• Tempera paint

• Acrylic paint

• Oil paint

What artistic mode did the Ghent Altarpiece help pioneer?

• Surrealism

• Realism

• Cubism

• Impressionism

What was discovered about the mystic lamb during the 2019 conservation work?

• It was a forgery

• It was missing entirely

• It had a hidden message

• It was painted over with a more palatable version

What percentage of certain sections of the Ghent Altarpiece had been painted over?

• 90%

• 50%

• 70%

• 30%

What did a Ghent stockbroker reveal about the missing panel on his deathbed?

• An unsent ransom note

• That it was sold

• Its exact location

• That it was destroyed

What remains assigned to the case of the missing panel from 1934?

• A local historian

• A museum curator

• A Ghent detective

• An art restorer