New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-12-27

rich color and magnificenee OF detail
make way for the quietude OF an An
nunciation in a cloistral room, Deneatn
which arc portraits Of J0doc Vyt ana
his wifc-at whose expense the altar,
piece was finished and grandly drapeo
figures treated in grisaille or -. Johh
the Baptist and the Evangelist.
"As Mr. W. RI. J. Weale. the foremost
authority on early FleL is art, points
out, probably no picture In the Wotid
has been so much discussed as thls
Client altar-piece. Until recently none
questioned the tradition that Jodoc 'yt
commissioned Hubert van Eyck TO exc
cute 10 for presentation 20 the Church
Of st. John. now the Cathedral ~.
Bayon. Client More probably, how
ever. it was commissioned by William
~ Of Bavaria and finished in l432, as
the inscription on the frame records,
by Jan van Eyck at the expense OF wy,
on the altar Of whose chapel IN the
church at Client it was placed. during
the CRlvinistic disturbances or 1000,
only two days before the iconoclasts
broke into the church. the altar-piece
was taken up into the tower, and later
removed for safe keeping TO the Town
house. While there arrangements were
in progress for its presentation 70
Queen Elizabeth, who had advanced
money to the leaders Of the CalviBist
party, but the determined opposition OF
Jodoc Triest, Lord Of Loyendeghem, a
collateral descendant OF the donor, put
a stop 10 the proposed transterrence;
and in September, 1887, the altar-pleee
was restored 10 its original position.
For almost two centuries II so re
visited the church the naked Adam
and Eve seem to have displeased him,
and were removed. Thirteen years
later the four central panels were taken
10 Paris by the French republicans,
and on March z, 1899, exhibited in the
Central Museum of Art with other an
nexed masterpieces. Meanwhile, the
wings. having been hidden for a time,
were stored in the Townhouse, and,
though claimed by the director Of the
Central Museum. Paris-who offered in
exchange some paintings by Rubens-
were not coded, thanks to the firm re-
solve Of the Bishop of Client. Despite
strenuous resistance, many works or
art were brought back 10 Belgium after
the battle OF Waterloo, and on May 10,
1916, the four central panels OF the
van Eyck polyptych were replaced over
the altar.
Unfortunately, however, the wings,
which at that time were actively disap-
proved, remained in the Town House.
During the absence Of the Bishop OF
Client in December, 1917. these wings
executing the outermost two of Adam
ard EVe-were by the vicar general
and church wardens sold 10 the dealer
l.. j. Nieuwenhuys for the paltry sum
Of 1900 forms about f252), he in turn
passing them on 10 an English collec-
tor, Nr. Solly, then at Aix-la-Chapell",
for 100000 francs $4,000. Finally. in
1921. the Solly collection was acquired
by William III Of Prussia for about
$4,000, the six van Eyck panels being
then valued at 100000 francs. These
six panels, split 20 that both sides can
be exhibited, form one of the most
precious possessions of the Kaiser
Friedrich Museum. As to the mastery
figures Of Adam and Eve-wth on the
exterior the central part Of the clois-
trail chamber, 20 right and left Of which
ere the Virgin and the Angel Of the
Annunciation-they remained from
1881 till 1860 hidden away in a cup
board OF Client, because, forsooth, the
figures are undraped. In 1860 the
panels, which in their kind had never
been excelIed-nor are likely to be
were bought by the Belgian govern
ment for the Royal Museum at Brus-
sells. The terms Of the purchase were