Een wonderbaarlijke tuin

The central panel of the Ghent Altarpiece is sumptuously decorated with plants and flowers. Visitors are struck by the diversity and realism, with which the Van Eyck brothers painted this flora and fauna. But the artists did not limit themselves to the unity of time and space. Spring flowers can be seen alongside summer plants, while Mediterranean flowers are combined with plants that can only grow in northern Europe. You will not only see roses, but also daisies and violets blossoming in the soft grass. Do these flowers and plants also have a symbolic meaning? Where did the Van Eyck brothers pick up this knowledge of botany? Exactly which kinds of flowers and plants are depicted and what purpose did they serve in the days of the Van Eycks? Some light will be shed on this and other questions in this catalogue to the temporary exhibition. Exhibition: Caermersklooster Provincial Cultural Centre, Ghent, Belgium (15.04.-25.09.2016).