Augmented reality is one of the technologies being used by museums to make their visits more interactive. Saint Bavo's Cathedral in Ghent uses it to showcase the Mystic Lamb, the masterpiece by the Van Eyck brothers.

The Mystic Lamb by the Van Eyck brothers

The Mystic Lamb, a wooden polyptych painted in oil and housed in Saint Bavo's Cathedral in Ghent, is a masterpiece of early Flemish painting. Begun by Hubert Van Eyck, it was completed in 1432 by his younger brother Jan. Jan Van Eyck was the dominant figure in southern Netherlandish painting during the 15th century, just as Pieter Bruegel was in the 16th century and Peter-Paul Rubens in the Baroque period.

The eventful life of the Mystic Lamb

The work has had an eventful life: stolen several times, including by the Nazis, recovered by the notorious ‘Monuments Men’ whose George Clooney has made a film partly shot on site, it was restored between 2012 and 2019. The restoration has not only returned the painting to its original colours, but also unexpected details such as some of Ghent's monuments in the background and the very ‘human’ face of the lamb, a metaphor for Christ.

During the restoration, visitors to the MSK, the Ghent Museum of Fine Arts, were able to admire the work of the specialists. through a showcase. The original panels have now been returned to their rightful place in St Bavo's Cathedral. And the Visitor Centre has been completely refurbished. The icing on the cake is that the Centre now offers a discovery trail. based on augmented reality.

An overpriced Van Eyck tour?

L’institution en a profité pour augmenter ses tarifs, passant de 4 € à 16 € pour la visite avec réalité augmentée et à 13 € pour la visite « simple ». Ce qui n’a pas manqué de susciter des reactions to the accessibility of art. Le musée ne participe pas non plus au Museum Passs, cette carte qui permet de visiter plus de 200 institutions pour un forfait annuel de 65 €.

I sincerely hope that the museum management will find a solution that will enable the most disadvantaged to discover this exhibition.

A cleverly designed Van Eyck trail

I've been interested in Augmented Reality for some time, but it's mainly our work in the as part of the DIMPA MOOC which enabled me to discover the the educational potential of this technology.

And so I never miss an opportunity to discover the achievements in this field. The Van Eyck tour gives me the opportunity to combine my love of painting with my taste for educational technology. The centre offers several versions in 9 different languages. I opted for the long trail "Master of Details".

The Van Eyck and Mystic Lamb exhibition at Saint Bavo Cathedral is a masterpiece in the service of a masterpiece. I weigh my words.

Setting the scene to prepare visitors

With your helmet on your head and your visor adjusted, you follow the signposted route. And there's a surprise in store, because the arrows are virtual. They are holographic layers superimposed on the real world you see through the glasses.

You stand where the voice tells you to - on ‘virtual’ footsteps too. Suddenly, a model cathedral emerges from the ground, surrounded by the medieval dwellings around the monument and the square.

It's visually impressive. But that's not all. Each stage of the tour is not only a feast for the eyes, but also provides a historical, artistic and religious context. So you understand the history of the work. Why it was painted at that time. What techniques the genius that was Jan Van Eyck used to revolutionize the painting of his time. And then there are the many twists and turns in the life of this exceptional work. And you'll understand that it's almost a miracle that you can contemplate it today.

The show never takes precedence over the teaching; the teaching never overwhelms the visual enchantment. The authors and directors of this tour have achieved a subtle balance. This is a far cry from the kind of free entertainment that is an exhibition in name only. They dazzle the viewer with spectacular images without ever revealing their meaning.

The shock of the work

And yet, the viewer is left speechless before the mystical Lamb. The whole thing is truly impressive.

This is due to the size of the polyptych, but also and above all to the painter's mastery.

And as you admire the painting, you are reminded of what you have discovered through this intelligent journey that has provided you with the keys to interpretation.

You combine knowledge with emotion. This is undoubtedly one of art's greatest gifts: to make reality tangible and comprehensible to us through form.

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