the ghent altarpiece which represents the divine was threatened by
Ghent Altarpiece The panel's survival was threatened during outbreaks of iconoclasm, and have been damaged by fire. At times, some were sold and others were looted during war. A number of panels were taken by the German occupying forces during World War I, but were later returned to St. Bavo's Cathedral. In 1934 two panels, The Just Judges and Saint John the Baptist, were stolen. The "Saint John the Baptist" panel was returned soon after, but "The Just Judges" panel is still missing. In 1945, the altarpiece was returned from Germany after spending much of World War II hidden in a salt mine, which greatly damaged the paint and varnish. The Belgian art restorer Jef Van der Veken produced a copy of 'The Just Judges', as part of an overall restoration effort.