VARIOUS FORMS OF MICROTIA DEPICTED ON A F LEMISH ALTARPIECE OF THE 15TH-CENTURY IN GHENT

An altarpiece created by the master of the Wenemaer Triptych, a painte r from the Flemish school in the second half of the 15th century, is d isplayed in the Museum for Fine Arts of Ghent. The triptych comprises five parts with scenes of the life of Christ. The artist painted all t he faces with portrait-like features, including anatomical details of the auricles. My medical attention was attracted to deformed auricles depicted in nine of the 41 persons from all age groups. There are good arguments to support the hypothesis that persons with Various types o f microtia had been models for the painter.