The Lamb of God by the Van Eyck brothers
On the altar cloth, under the Lamb of God’s by the Van Eyck brothers, Ghent’s famous altarpiece, is written : Ecce Agnus Dei, QuiTollit Peccata Mundi (Behold the Lamb of God’s, which takes away the sins of the world). Through the forgiveness of one’s sins, one gains the possibility of starting over, a chance to change oneself . But are there things that are not renewable in this way and require a real personal sacrifice ? This question shot through my mind when I went to see this altarpiece recently.

Discovery during restoration Lamb of God
During years of restoration, it was discovered that the Lamb of God’s self had been largely painted over. A very different lamb emerged. This lamb looks at you with an almost human face, direct and very penetrating. It seems to ask that it can only take away sins if you actually mean it. Perhaps this confrontational look may have been the reason for the repainting at the time. Own version Lamb of God
I decided to make my own version of the Lamb of God, of a lamb visibly exhausted from this repetitive process. Of the lamb, I used the two elements that we cannot consume: the skeleton and the wool. With the wool, I covered the lamb’s (reproduced) skeleton bones and sewed them around it. For the questioning eyes, following the example of the Lamb God’s by the van Eyck brothers, I used a photo of my own eyes. I printed the photos on felt and pinned them like pancakes on the head of my Lamb God’s, like a self-portrait.

With which I still have to face this question first and foremost myself. And perhaps afterward can file with the visitor.