Page 158 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Belgium & Luxembourg

156  BEL GIUM AND L UXEMBOURG REGION B Y REGION

Antwerp: Koninklijk Museum voor
Schone Kunsten First floor

Antwerp’s largest art collection is exhibited in the Museum voor
Schone Kunsten, housed in a massive late 19th-century Neo-
Classical building. The permanent collection contains both ancient
and modern works. The earlier collection contains medieval Flemish
painting and continues through the 19th century, with the
“Antwerp Trio” of Rubens, van Dyck and Jordaens. Modern exhibits
include the work of Belgian artists Magritte, Ensor, Delvaux and
Rik Wouters. Foreign artists on display are Tissot and van
Gogh. The museum is currently closed for renovations.
Collection highlights can be seen at the Cathedral of our
Lady and the Museum aan de Stroom, MAS (see p149).

Madame Récamier
(1967), Magritte’s
macabre version of
David’s paint ing, is a
classic Surrealist work.

Main entrance

Façade of Main Entrance
Building began on the imposing museum in
1884. The Neo-Classical façade, with its vast
pillars, features winged women charioteers on
each side. It was opened in 1890.

In the Pink Bows
(1936), Paul Delvaux’s
dream-like style shows
the influence of Freud’s
psychoanalytic theories
on Surrealist painting.
Ground floor

Gallery Guide
The gallery is divided into two floors. Flemish
Old Masters and 19th-century painters are
housed on the first floor, which also has an
area devoted to sculpture. The ground floor
. Woman Ironing (1912) focuses on James Ensor and the 20th century,
A domestic scene painted by Rik Wouters is animated with a large portion set aside for temporary
by bright Fauvist colours. This was a productive period exhibitions. The museum is currently
for Wouters who painted 60 canvases in that year. closed for renovations.
For hotels and restaurants see p268 and pp286–7

156-157_EW_Belgium.indd 156 18/10/16 3:01 pm
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Starsight template “UK” LAYER
(Source v2.7)
Date 24th April 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm