Why laugh at the humanoid sheep in the Ghent altarpiece? It is majestic

The original sheep, which had been painted over, has now been revealed, ‘freaky’ eyes and all. No wonder – it is a symbol of Jesus, and he was more man than baa-lamb

Let’s all have a good laugh at Jan and Hubert van Eyck. Nearly 600 years ago, the brothers painted a vast multi-panelled altarpiece in St Bavo’s Cathedral, Ghent, that includes the oldest lifelike faces and figures in any western painting and announces the Renaissance. But get a load of that creepy lamb! It’s got freaky “humanoid” eyes!

The painstaking, scientific restoration of the most enigmatic section of the Van Eycks’ masterpiece, which shows saintly hosts gathering to witness the sacrifice of the Holy Lamb, has attracted some bizarre criticism. Take moth dad, who opines on Twitter: “The lamb of the Ghent Altarpiece was a mistake and whoever painted over it was right to do so.”

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