I saw the chapel[51] there which Roger painted, and some pictures by a
great old master. I gave one st. to the man who showed us them. Then I
bought three ivory combs for thirty st. They took me next to St. Jacob's
and showed me the precious pictures by Roger and Hugo,[52]
who were both great masters. Then I saw in our Lady's Church the
alabaster[53] Madonna, sculptured by Michael Angelo of Rome. After that
they took me to many more churches and showed me all the good pictures,
of which there is an abundance there; and when I had seen the Jan van
Eyck[54] and all the other works, we came at last to the painters'
chapel, in which there are good things. Then they prepared a banquet for
me, and I went with them from it to their guild-hall, where many
honourable men were gathered together, both goldsmiths, painters and
merchants, and they made me sup with them. They gave me presents, sought
to make my acquaintance, and did me great honour. The two brothers,
Jacob and Peter Mostaert, the councillors, gave me twelve cans of wine;
and the whole assembly, more than sixty persons, accompanied me home
with many torches. I also saw at their shooting court the great fish-tub
on which they eat; it is 19 feet long, 7 feet high, and 7 feet wide. So
early on Tuesday we went away, but before that I drew with the
metal-point the portrait of Jan Prost, and gave his wife ten st.
at parting.
* * * * *
On my arrival at Ghent the Dean of the Painters came to me and brought
with him the first masters in painting; they showed me great honour,
received me most courteously, offered me their goodwill and service, and
supped with me. On Wednesday they took me early to the Belfry of St.
John, whence I looked over the great wonderful town, yet in which even I
had just been taken for something great. Then I saw Jan van Eycks
picture;[55] it is a most precious painting, full of thought (_ein
überköstlich hochverständig Gemühl_), and the Eve, Mary, and God the
Father are specially good. Next I saw the lions and drew one with the
metal-point.[56] And I saw at the place where men are beheaded on the
bridge, the two statues erected (in 1371) as a sign that there a son
beheaded his father.[57] Ghent is a fine and remarkable town; four great
waters flow through it. I gave the sacristan (at St. Bavon's) and the
lions' keepers three st. _trinkgeld_. I saw many wonderful things in
Ghent besides, and the painters with their Dean did not leave me alone,
but they ate with me morning and evening and paid for everything, and
were very friendly to me. I gave away five st. at the inn at leaving.
ANTWERP, _April_ 11-_May_ 17, 1521.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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