The Perils of Purism: The Case of the Ghent Altarpiece

Purist approaches to restoration have in common a certain understanding of the goal of restoration. This understanding suits an institutional framework that favours natural-scientific methods but also encourages risky interventions. To illustrate this point, a critical look is taken at the recent restoration of Hubert and Jan van Eyck’s Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, also known as the Ghent Altarpiece. An alternative, ‘impurist’ understanding of the goal of restoration is then proposed to help conservators avoid faulty interventions.