Holy Hermits and Holy Pilgrims
Jan van Eyck was a master of detail, and here he crams a huge crowd of saints into a single view. On the left, the giant St. Christopher wades through the scene in a bright red robe, leading a group of pilgrims. To the right of the central column, a ragged group of hermits gathers in a rocky landscape. This piece is actually two panels from the world-famous Ghent Altarpiece, a massive masterpiece that has been stolen, hidden in mines during WWII, and is considered one of the most important works of the Northern Renaissance.
Location: Saint Bavo's Cathedral, Ghent
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