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 Musée RBAB - "The King drinks" by breughel
Among my favoured paintings here is the large composition "The King Drinks" of Jacob Jordaens. The king in this scene is the one of the feast of the Epiphany who found the bean hidden in the "Twelfth Night" cake (la fève de la galette des rois). This painting was a popular success in Belgium and was often reproduced on biscuit boxes. In the upper part of the painting one will read in old Flemish: "In een vry gelach ist goet gast syn" what means "it is good to be invited when you have not to pay".
The amateurs of Flemish genre scenes will appreciate the small paintings of Adriaen Brouwer.
The museum also has a collection of Dutch paintings from the 17th century, with portraits, landscapes and genre scenes typical of the Dutch Golden Age represented by the great names such as Rembrandt, Frans Hals, van Ruisdael, and Bakhuysen. Furthermore, as this museum is not showing exclusively "Belgian" painters, the French and Italian schools are present.
Open: 10h00 to 17h00
Closed on Mondays and on 1st January and on the 2nd Thursday in January, on 1st May, on 1st and 11th November, on 25 December.
Entrance fee: 5 euro. Reduced 3,5 euro or 2 euro.
Free on the first Wednesday afternoon of each month. Address: Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts Art AncienDirections: Rue de la Régence 3 1000 Bruxelles
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 Musée RBAB - "Têtes de nègres"
P.P. Rubens by breughel
The museum of Brussels displays some good religious compositions such as the "Martyr of St Livinius" "Madonna with Myosotis" and the "Road to Calvary" which are typical of the Counter-Reformation movement of which Rubens was one of the leading artists. But best known in Belgium is the study "Têtes de Nègres" which in the past decorated a banknote of 500 BEF.
Rubens is by no doubt a leading figure of the baroque art with his dynamism, vitality, and sensuous exuberance. His work combines the traditions of Flemish realism with the classical tendencies of the Italian Renaissance.
This sensuous exuberance is most visible when he paints nudes. I wonder if the women of Antwerp in his time were as fleshy as his models but there is no doubt that Rubens did not like anorexic women.
He was at the head of a workshop and Rubens's personal contribution to the over 2.000 works produced by this studio varied considerably from work to work.
Most of his assistants were remarkable painters by themselves and had their specialities: figures for Van Dyck and Jordaens, animals for Frans Snyders, landscapes and flowers for Jan Brueghel "Velvet".
Last but not least, Rubens was also an effective ambassador, scholar, humanist, classicist, architect, lover and family man.
Open: 10h00 to 17h00
Closed on Mondays and on 1st January and on the 2nd Thursday in January, on 1st May, on 1st and 11th November, on 25 December.
Entrance fee: 5 euro. Reduced 3,5 euro or 2 euro.
Free on the first Wednesday afternoon of each month. Address: Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts - Art AncienDirections: Rue de la Régence 3 1000 Bruxelles
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 Musée RBAB - Girl with
dead birth- Juan de
Flandes by breughel
Concerning the Ancient Art department - 15th century, there is sometimes confusion between Flemish and Dutch painters which I would like to clarify.
There are indeed museums who mention "Early Netherlandish", "Southern Netherlandish" for painters who belong to the Flemish school, the so called "Flemish Primitives". The reference to the Netherlands is correct from a geo-political point of view when Belgium and the present Netherlands were united until the end of the 16th century, when separation occurred between the southern catholic provinces and the northern independent Calvinist republic.
But from a point of view of art the term "Netherlandish" is misleading as this Flemish school of the 15th century can not be mixed with the Dutch school reaching her summit in the 17th century with Vermeer and Rembrandt.
The correct term of "Primitifs Flamands" appeared in 1902 at an exhibition in Bruges. The Flemish "Primitives" were in fact revolutionary pioneers by developing space and perspective in the pictorial art.
The great names of this school are the brothers Van Eyck, Le Maître de Flémalle (= Robert Campin?), Rogier van der Weyden, Petrus Christus, Thierry Bouts, Juste de Gand, Hugo van der Goes, Jérôme Bosch, Hans Memlinc , Gerard David.
Some of these painters were born in the present Holland like Jerome Bosch, Thierry Bouts but worked in the southern provinces, or were from Tournai in the present Walloon part of Belgium. Next to these great masters there were a number of "Petits Maîtres".
The Flemish art of the 15th c. had a great influence in other countries, Germany, Italy, Holland, France and especially Spain.
One might think that the Flemish Primitives did only paint religious subjects. Not at all, the portraits were very important; more than 500 have reached us.
There is a beautiful portrait, attributed to Juan de Flandes, "La fillette à l'oiseau mort", a painting which by itself justifies a trip to the Musées Royaux des Beaux Arts, Brussels.
Open: 10h00 to 17h00
Closed on Mondays and on 1st January and on the 2nd Thursday in January, on 1st May, on 1st and 11th November, on 25 December.
Entrance fee: 5 euro. Reduced 3,5 euro or 2 euro.
Free on the first Wednesday afternoon of each month. Address: Rue de la Régence 3, 1000 BruxellesDirections: Close to the Palais Royal. It is usefull to see on their website what galeries are open. For an illustrated catalogue of most works see www.opac-fabritius.beWebsite: www.finr-arts-museum.be
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 Musée RBAB - The fall of
Icarus - P. Bruegel by breughel, 1 more photos
I always liked this landscape because it is a real landscape which could be found south of Brussels a few centuries ago. The type of village church represented in the painting still exists.
The "Fall of Icarus" is the only painting of Pieter Bruegel with a scene of the mythology.
I was always impressed by the indifference of the peasant, the shepherd and the fisher for the tragedy of Icarus drowning himself. Nobody cares for the cry of horror of the poor young man!
One should observe that this painting was made at the beginning of the Renaissance when the Italians dominated the art with mythological and religious, often grandiloquent, themes.
Bruegel, although he had been to Italy, ignored voluntarily this trend even in his biblical scenes where the ordinary village people and the landscape supersede the religious event.
Bruegel the Elder was therefore unique in his century.
Are also on display three paintings of his elder son Pieter (II) Brueghel the Younger. These are excellent copies of his father's work. (The son used to sign his name with an "h" while his father abandoned the "h" around 1559).
Open: 10h00 to 17h00
Closed on Mondays and on 1st January and on the 2nd Thursday in January, on 1st May, on 1st and 11th November, on 25 December.
Entrance fee: 5 euro. Reduced 3,5 euro or 2 euro.
Free on the first Wednesday afternoon of each month. Address: Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts Art AncienDirections: Rue de la Régence 3 1000 Bruxelles
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 Musée RBAB - Loth and his
Daughters by breughel
New genres appeared under Italian inspiration. Jan Gossaert (called Mabuse) was the first artist to paint mythological nudes in the Netherlands.
Painters of the 16th and 17th century did only paint nudes as part of scenes of the mythology, antique history or the bible. Ancient art museums are consequently full of naked Venus and Diana being observed by some hidden man.
Daring scenes of the bible such as "Suzanne and the Elders" showing the male concupiscence or the incest of "Loth and his Daughters" had success among painters and their customers.
In the moralizing literature of these centuries, these passages serve especially for illustrating the pernicious nature of the women and the misdeeds of the drunkenness; they also form an example of uneven couples by their age, a fashionable subject in that period. One will find good examples of these nudes by Jan Massys (Antwerp, around 1565) in room 29.
It was also the start of the independent landscape painting with Paternier and the start of genre painting. The museum has also Italian and German paintings of the 16th c.
Open: 10h00 to 17h00
Closed on Mondays and on 1st January and on the 2nd Thursday in January, on 1st May, on 1st and 11th November, on 25 December.
Entrance fee: 5 euro. Reduced 3,5 euro or 2 euro.
Free on the first Wednesday afternoon of each month. Address: Musée Royal des Beaux-Arts Art Ancien.Directions: Rue de la Régence 3 1000 Bruxelles
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 Magritte museum - Decor by
Warburg. by breughel
There will be about 250 works displayed on 2500 m². These works come from the existing collection of the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium, bequests of Hamoir Scutenaire and Georgette Magritte as well as gifts and loans.
I think that this museum will have a large success from the comments in the Belgian and French press and TV.
I like to call Magritte the "Emperor of Surrealism" with reference to his most popular works "Empires des Lumières". He was born in Lessines in 1898 and died in Brussels in 1967.
The photo here shows the décor by Warburg of the museum on the Place Royale during the works. The painting is one of the "Empires des Lumières".
NOTE: THE MUSEUM HAS INDEED A LOT OF SUCCESS: 100.000 VISITORS IN TWO MONTHS! THERE ARE QUEUES SO THAT IT IS ADVISABLE TO BOOK ONLINE AND RESERVE YOUR DAY AND HOUR.
http://onlineticketing.fine-arts-museum.be
Access for individual visitors :
Rue de la Régence 3 – 1000 Brussels
For groups: Place Royale – 1000 Brussels
Open Tuesday to Sunday, from 10 to 17 h. On Wednesday until 20 h.
Closed on Monday, January 1st, the second Thursday of January, May 1st, November 1st and 11th, December 25th
Prices:
8 € adults
5 € discount for seniors, adult groups min. 15 pers.
2 € discount for students (18- 25 year), school groups min. 12 persons.
0 € Friends of the Museums, disabled and companion, unemployed, children under 18 years (accompanied by an adult)
Tickets booking
http://onlineticketing.fine-arts-museum.be
Phone: 32 (0)2 508 33 33
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 Get on your horses, get the
card, browse the city by Norali
Validity: 3 days (72 consecutive hours) from the first visit, meaning you can buy the card beforehand. Participating museums include most of those I described in following tips but also the many others you may see by clicking here (site in French and Dutch only).
The 30 euro-card entitles:
- the free use of public transportation for the three days (STIB)
- the free access to the participating museums. A single ticket for both transportation and museums' accesses.
- a free map of the city
- the benefit of many reductions: 25% at some restaurants & attractions such as Théatre Royal de Toone, the one that features plays in Brussels dialect.
- Included: Brussels Card Guide : all information on participating museums and on other reductions that the Brussels Card grants those who buy it: description - location - access - opening hours.
In 4 languages: Eng., Dutch, Fr. and Ger.
Sold at participating museums, hotels and Brussels tourist info points (South Station / Gare du Midi – Info desk Frankrijkstraat / rue de France; Brussels National Airport (Zaventem); European Parliament – ASPOH 160 – Wiertzstraat / rue Wiertz – 1047 Brussels; European Commission – DG EAC/D/2 Visits Service VM2 02/06). In Gare du Midi- Midi Train station; at Bruxelles National airport in Zaventem, only vouchers can be exchanged.
Also, 6 STIB-MIVB agencies & point of sales (Agencies Toison d’Or, Mon-Sat 10am- 6pm; Anspach, Mon-Sat: 10am-6pm; Metro stations Porte de Namur, Mon-Fri: 8am-5.30 pm, on first & last Sat of the month: 10am-5pm; Rogier, Mon-Fri: 8am-5.30 pm, on Sat: 10am-5pm; Gare du Midi, Mon-Fri: 7.30am-5.30 pm, on first & last Sat of the month: 8.30am-2pm; Roodebeek, Mon-Fri & on first & last Sat of the month: 10am-5pm)
Now, a question: how to visit 30 museums in 3 days? OK, there are other assets of the card. :) Leave a Comment Address: Brussels tourism info at Town Hall - Grand'PlaceDirections: Participating museums, some hotels and tourist info points, 6 STIB-MIVB agencies & point of sales (Agencies Toison d’Or av. de la Toison d’Or, 14 & Anspach, rue de l'Evêque, 31. Metro stations: Porte de Namur; Rogier; Gare du Midi; Roodebeek )Website: http://www.brusselsmuseums.be/fr/brusscard/index.php
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 the beer came gushing out on
cue by richiecdiscLeave a Comment Address: 56 Rue GheudePhone: 02 521 49 28Directions: In the Anderlecht area of Brussels and blissfully on the tourist maps. Only in Belgium!Website: http://www.cantillon.be/
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 by belgianchocolate
but it is in every tourist guide and quit known.
Well I've walked quit some times here ,
passing by it...
This little sculptue garden is the neighbor
of the 'museum of fine arts'
Another one of 'Leopold II' building works.
The place it is located at , is probably where
the first Botanical garden was in the
18th century. Still you can find some
remarcable trees here.
(Linden trees , maples , locus trees )
But it wouldn't be a sculpture garden without the
sculptures. (Am I smart or what?)
The theme is 'woman'. And it has some NAMES.
We had some fun finding new titles for the sculptures.
'woman who wears a too tight swimming suit'
'I took swimming lessens'
'before the plastic-surgery-era'
Can you find them.
It's small , but it's also 'free' Leave a Comment Address: Rue de la r?gence , regentstraat.Directions: 'kleine zavel , grote zavel , koningsplein...
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Located on Place Royale, the Royal Fine Arts Museums are a must-see in Brussels. In fact, there are 2 main museums: Ancient Arts and Modern Arts. You enter the museum via a beautiful common room exhibiting giant paintings from the XiXth century. The Ancient Arts covers the XVth to XVIIIth century with such highlights as Primitive Flemish like Rogier Van Der Weyden. and Hyeronymus Bosch (he has his own room). One of my favourite of those ancient painters is Bruegel the Elder (I saw "Icarus's Fall" so many times in books... ) and its depiction of everyday life in the early Renaissance in the Low Countries. You can feel he really took pleasure in the little joys of the peasants' life at the time. His popular paintings are like little time capsules and show the simple life and pleasure of simple people.
If there is a Flemish painter I particularly like, it's Pieter-Paul Rubens. He also has his own room. I particularly love the sensuality of his paintings, the colours, the texture... It's the baroque era folks!
One painting that struck me the most tough was Jacques-Louis David's "Marat Assassiné". This is a painting that everybody has seen in his/her history schoolbook when it's time to talk about the French Revolution. Marat was a Revolution leader and was murdered while taking a bath by Charlotte Corday, who held him accountable for the Terror regime. After the fall of Napoleon, David lived (and died) in exile in Brussels and that's the reason why this painting is in Brussels and not at the Louvres. The simplicity and realism of this work is touching. Marat is in his bathtub, one of his arm just laying out of the tub with a quill in his hand (he was a writer for the paper called "L'ami du peuple" and looks peaceful, as if asleep. David was a personal friend of Marat so that explains it all. The painting is exposed on its own on an solated wall leading the XiXth-century paintings and marks the transtion between the Ancient and Modern Arts museums. Leave a Comment
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