Priceless Art Treasure

Manawatu Times, Volume 68, Issue 85, 10 April 1943, Page 3

Priceless Art Treasure

“GIVEN” TO CrOERING. Van Eyck’s famous “Adoration of the Lamb,” one of the world’s greatest art treasures, which Belgium had entrusted to the French Government for safekeeping, has' been “presented” to Goering, the Nazi art thief. News of this outrage lias been disclosed by the Belgian Information Office. An underground newspaper, “La Libre Belgique,” says that early reports of the presentation were received with scepticism, but investigation proved the report true. “Adoration of the Lamb” belongs to Ghent Cathedral. The central panels long ago came into the' possession of the King of Prussia but wgro restored to the cathedral, under the Versailles Treaty of, 1919. The Adam and Eve panels, which were removed in 1781 because Emperor Joseph 11. thought them too liberal for a cathedral, were restored at the same time. [Hubert Van Eyck (1366-1426) and his brother Jan (1388-1441) were among the greatest masters of the early Flemish school of painters. Hubert’s “Adoration of the Lamb,” for which he is universally celebrated, is an al-tar-piece of numerous panels, originally erected in 1432. Some panels were completed by Jan Van Eyck after his brother’s death. Goering for years has been notorious for his filching of Europe’s art treasures.]