An exceptional loan from the National Gallery in London is being restored for next year’s ‘Van Eyck’ exhibition in Ghent (Belgium)

On 1 February 2020, the exhibition 'Van Eyck. An Optical Revolution' is opening at the Museum of Fine Arts Ghent (MSK). The exhibition will bring visitors closer to the genius of this Flemish Master than ever before, as it presents at least half of the existing works by Jan van Eyck – more than ever shown together in a single exhibition – alongside over 100 other medieval masterpieces.

Two months prior to the opening, the museum is announcing the final list of works by Van Eyck and his workshop that will travel to Ghent next year. Amongst them is an exceptional loan from the National Gallery in London. It is with great pride that the MSK can confirm the exhibition will include Jan van Eyck's 'Portrait of a Man (Léal souvenir)', one of the three Van Eycks in the National Gallery’s collection. Paintings by the Master are rarely allowed to leave the museums where they are held, and that certainly holds true for 'Portrait of a Man (Léal souvenir)'. Moreover, the masterpiece...