By creating a snapshot of the Ghent community during its Bicentennial year, this collection of portraits provides a record for the future. Digital and smartphone technologies have enabled us to capture billions of fleeting moments yet, only a tiny fraction are intended to have lasting impact or to be printed and archived in any way. Photographs from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries are more readily to-hand, often serving as our only tactile document of history. "All of Us: Portraits of an American Bicentennial " is Richard Beaven's response to: a 'box of prints in the basement' from today which can be rediscovered and held by the community of tomorrow. Beaven's aim was to reflect a broad narrative of our town through those who live and work here. For nearly a year, he sought out and connected with possible subjects most of who were strangers beforehand. He photographed as diverse a representation of the community as he could find portraying each person in a similar way and describing each by name and their time connected with Ghent. He resisted any additional categorization ensuring an equal platform for all. The viewer is left to imagine and question for themselves what makes each subject unique or familiar based only on gesture, expression and setting. This was a humbling and deeply insightful journey for Beaven's. He would like to thank his Ghent neighbors for their time, support and the gift of understanding that we truly have more in common than that which separates us.

Jan van Eyck's Ghent Altarpiece is on any art historian's list of the ten most important paintings ever made. Often referred to by the subject of its central panel, The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, it represents the fulcrum between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. It is also the most frequently stolen artwork of all time. Since its completion in 1432, this twelve-panel oil painting has been looted in three different wars, burned, dismembered, forged, smuggled, illegally sold, censored, hidden, attacked by iconoclasts, hunted by the Nazis and Napoleon, used as a diplomatic tool, ransomed, rescued by Austrian double-agents, and stolen a total of thirteen times. In this fast-paced, real-life thriller, art historian Noah Charney unravels the stories of each of these thefts. In the process, he illuminates the whole fascinating history of art crime, and the psychological, ideological, religious, political, and social motivations that have led many men to covet this one masterpiece above all others.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

The monumental Ghent altarpiece by the brothers Van Eyck is undoubtedly considered one of the main works of European art history. Since its completion in 1432, the Ghent altarpiece has attracted attention and interest over centuries. It has been a model for other painters, it has been praised by writers, and it has been copied in natural size. This publication offers the first overall view of all aspects of the Ghent altarpiece from its establishment and preservation to its reception and lasting influence.