Museums, Brussels

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“Whatever happens, I have to share the same fate as my troops.”
— Léopold III, King of the Belgians, (1901-1983) when deciding to remain in the country and not to flee.

The BELvue Museum is the official museum of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, the dynasty that has ruled and reigned over Belgium since its founding in 1830. The museum is made up of nine halls, with permanent and temporary exhibitions. Through paintings, sculpture, artifacts, film clips and photographs historic events are uniquely documented. All items are clearly captioned in French, Flemish and English.

On the day that we visited, sadly this former 18th century hotel – next to the royal palace, with a view of the gardens — was not well attended.

Beginning in 1830, the nearly 200-year story of Belgium is told through its kings. Léopold I, founding father of the nation (see photo #2); his son Léopold II, who ruled the Congo as well (see photo #3); his nephew, Albert I, who saw the country through the First World War; and his son, Léopold III, who surrendered the country to the invading Nazi army; and other monarchs to the present are covered.

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“Poor Charles X is dead. … History will state that Louis XVIII was a most liberal monarch, reigning with great mildness and justice to his end, but that his brother, from his despotic and harsh disposition, upset all the other had done and lost the throne. Louis XVIII was a clever, hard-hearted man, shackled by no principle, very proud and false. Charles X an honest man, a kind friend …”
— from a 18.November.1836 letter to Princess Victoria (later queen) from her uncle, Leopold I, king of the Belgians

Guillaume Geefs (1805-1883) carved what is considered one of the most important works of public art in Belgium. That work, “Leopold I,” was featured on a Belgian stamp issued in 1981; it commemorates the 150th founding of the Kingdom of Belgium. This white marble sculpture of the king stands at the center of the Great Hall of Museum of Ancient Art.

Geefs also sculpted the bronze likeness of Leopold that stands atop the Congress Column (in French, Colonne du Congrès; in Dutch, Congreskolom). Geefs carved the effigy of the king for his tomb in Royal Vault at Church of Our Lady of Laeken.

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“A truly poetic canvas is an awakened dream.”
— Rene Magritte (1898-1967) Belgian Surrealist artist

The Museum of Ancient Art exhibits a comprehensive collection of paintings, sculptures and drawings ranging from the 15th to the 18th century. The collection’s core comes from works of art confiscated during the French Revolution, as well as works of art given France under Napoleon. Through acquisitions, donations and bequests the collection has grown.

Paintings from what was once known as the Southern Netherlands, or Flanders, represent the bulk of the collection. The works are presented in chronological order in order to allow visitors to appreciate how this school of art developed.

The collection starts with the Primitive Flemish artists, such as Rogier van der Weyden, Petrus Christus, Dirk Bouts, Hans Memling and Hieronymus Bosch. Visitors then move on to the artistic movements of the 16th century, culminating in the Bruegel Room. Finally, the 17th and 18th centuries are represented by the huge canvases and sketches of Pieter-Paul Rubens, all the paintings of Jacob Jordaens and portraits by Anthony van Dyck.

Some works to look for are the painting (photo #1), “La Fontaine de L’inspiration,” 1907, by Constant Montald (1862-1944); and the sculpture (photo #2), “Hercule” by Gilles Lambert Godecharle (1750-1835); another sculpture (photo #3), “Narcesse” by Gabrièl Grupello (1644-1730); “Pan Poursurvant Syrinx,” 1804, by Gilles Lambert Godecharle; and (photo #5) “L’assomption de la Vierge” by Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640).

The Royal Museums of Fine Arts is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 to 17:00. Admission is about $10 USD, €8 EUR.

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“Life obliges me to do something, so I paint.”
— Rene Magritte (1898-1967) Belgian Surrealist artist

The Royal Museum contains over 20,000 drawings, sculptures, and paintings, which date from the early 15th century to the present. The museum has an extensive collection of Flemish painting, among them paintings by Bruegel and Rogier van der Weyden, Robert Campin (the Master of Flémalle), Anthony van Dyck, and Jacob Jordaens. The museum is also proud of its “Rubens Room,” which houses more than 20 paintings by the artist. The Museum also houses the famous painting The Death of Marat by Jacques-Louis David.

If you only have time to visit one art museum, the Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts (Royal Museums of Fine Arts) should be it. These combined exhibitions, the Museum of Ancient Art and the Museum of Modern Art, house Belgium’s most extensive collection of artwork. Spend time with old masters such as Rubens, Brueghel and Van Dyck before viewing among the visions of Chagall, Van Gogh and Dalí.

In the Great Hall of the Museum of Ancient Art paintings illustrating the Belgian’s history, including its War for Independence. An important moment in that war is captured in Gustaf Wappers’ Episode of the September Days on the Grand-Place (see photo #5).

The Royal Museums of Fine Arts is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 to 17:00. Admission is about $10 USD, €8 EUR.

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“Art evokes the mystery without which the world would not exist.”
— Rene Magritte (1898-1967) Belgian Surrealist artist

In 1887, the collections of ancient art and sculpture moved to a new home, a newly constructed building designed by the royal architect Alphonse Balat, who also designed Leopold II’s Royal Greenhouses of Laeken. Like the greenhouses, the Museum of Ancient Art was funded by the king; and was part of his grand building plan, intended to bring tiny Belgium to world recognition and prestige.

The Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium (in Dutch, Koninklijke Musea voor Schone Kunsten van België, in French, Musées royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique), are situated in the downtown area on the Coudenberg. There are four museums connected with the Royal Museum, and two of them (the Museum of Ancient Art and the Museum of Modern Art), are in the main building. The other two (the Museum Constantin Meunier and the Antoine Wiertz Museum) are dedicated to specific Belgian artists, are much smaller, and are located at different points in the city.

The Royal Museums of Fine Arts is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 to 17:00. Admission is about $10 USD, €8 EUR.

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The Ancient Art Museum was one of the final stops during our class in Brussels. The art museums in Brussels are separated by “ancient” and “modern” with the dividing line being the 18th- 19th centuries. Since this was a Renaissance art history course I was taking, we did not get to the modern gallery. But the “ancient” art was a wonderful tour of works by Campin, van der Weyden, Bouts, van der Goes, Memling, Breughel and Bosch.

We started in the lobby where all coats and large bags had to be checked in. This seems rather typical of many museums nowadays. I carry a smaller over the shoulder camera bag that is about purse size, so I usually don’t have to check my bag; but other larger bags and backpacks could not be brought into the museum. I was glad that photography was allowed in the galleries (without flash since flash damages the paintings).

Our class headed up to the second floor – I think it was school trip day since saw so many other groups of all ages in the museum.

Some of the highlights (for me) of the Renaissance art in the museum are:

Van der Weyden’s Deposition which is a good example of the start of landscape with van der Weyden’s distinctive interlocking figures in the foreground.

Robert Campin’s Annunciation has been frequently copied. And the one in the museum is one of the best copies out there. It was painted by his students so their master probably helped them along. But the symbolism is clear and it gives a striking difference between the northern Renaissance art, particularly annunciation pieces, from that of Italian art, with the northern works showing a personal religiousity that you don’t see in the southern pieces. Here, Mary is in her home reading a book of hours (typical for northern literate ladies) with a manuscript on the table.

Dieric Bouts’ Justice of Emperor Otto III, which is a wonderful two panel painting incorporated into a unique frame that was designed for the piece (and can be seen painted into the right panel scene). These paintings tell a story similar to the Biblical Joseph and Potiphar’s wife – on the left you can see the judge’s wife in the background (falsely) accusing a man who in the foreground is beheaded. On the right, the beheaded man’s wife successfully proves her husband was innocent through a trial by fire (she’s holding the heated stone – see the grill in the lower part of the painting) and the judge’s wife is being executed in the background. Bouts’ figures have long puppet-like legs that are classic of this artist’s style. The colors and the “V” shape of the scenes creates a sense of togetherness and balance bringing these two panels together to form one piece.

Gerard David’s Madonna and Child eating porridge – a classic David, who is known for creating more intimate domestic scenes in his works. Here is a Madonna and Child, but Mary is not designed to look like the Virgin or as a Queen, but as a simple mother feeding her small child. And the child is being a small child, reaching for the spoon to help himself with the task.

Quentin Massys Altarpiece of the Holy Kinship – a beautiful triptych showing the Madonna and Child with her family. The painted architecture of the central panel extends the scene and the landscape shows curvature (indicating that the painter knew the earth was round). The faces are softened (Italian influence?) and the loggia the family is sitting under creates a sense of space as well as shows a classical influence.

Breughel – there was an entire room of Breughels, many in his classic Wimmelbuild style (lots of people in lots of activity that dominate the landscape). Breughel’s paintings are interesting because there is always something else to see in them, often with themes of proverbs or local sayings. His works show a development in dual perspective – you can see the larger picture, but then there is a story in a smaller part in the center or foreground.

Breughel’s Fall of Icarus is a good example of this – the action of the scene is really Icarus falling into the water, but the foreground is a man plowing. This illustrates the proverb “no plow stops for dying men”. Initially, the viewer’s eyes are drawn to the plowman because he is large and central to the painting with a bright red shirt, then eyes start to look around and see some action in the right lower section of the painting, a body in the water. The scenery is stunning in this painting and shows Breughel traveled to Italy and Naples by his capture of the landscape.

Other Breughel’s in the museum included Fall of the Rebel Angels and Carnival and Lent, which reminded me of the “Where’s Waldo?” book series because there was so much action going on.

There is much to see in this art museum and we really just focused on one side of the ancient section. You would need several hours to really appreciate the works in the gallery.

FORUM REPLY.

There is confusion here between the controversial "Génocide Congolais" under the "Etat Indépendant du Congo" belonging to Leopold II from 1885 till 1908 and not to Belgium.

True and untrue things have been written about Léopold II and Congo but I will not go into this because it’s a political and historical controversy as such not welcome on VT.
When King Leopold II died Belgium inherited in 1908 the "Congo Belge" which became one of the most prosperous countries of Africa.

In 1960 the "Congo Belge" became independent. Under the names of République du Congo, Zaïre and now République démocratique du Congo (RDC). A lot has been written about genocides in the RDC but again I will not go into this because it’s a political matter.

The "Rwanda genocide" in 1994 is well established and has nothing to do with the former Belgian Congo. The République du Rwanda is an independent state since 1962.
The memorial in Woluwé-St-Pierre concerns the Rwanda Genocide of 1994.

To learn a bit more about Congo I would suggest visiting the Musée royal d'Afrique centrale - Royal Museum for Central Africa in Tervuren near Brussels.

During the reign of Emperor Charles V "The King's House" (French - La Maison du Roi) (Dutch - Het Broodhuis) was built in Gothic Style and located in the Grand Place/de Grote Markt (1515 to 1536). It was once the site of a Breadhouse, thus the name "Het Broodhuis".
In 1860 the Mayor of Brussels convinced city authorities to buy the old King's House, which was in desperate need of repair and had it restored in the Neo-Gothic Style of the day. On June 3, 1867, the "King's House" became THE CITY MUSEUM OF BRUSSELS.
On exhibition are the original statues of the Town Hall, paintings, wall tapestries and artifacts relating to the history of the city. Also in storage here are the 400 costumes of Mannekin Pis.
The Museum is located in De Grote Markt/ Grand Place, opposite the City Hall.

Opening Hours:
Tuesday to Friday 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Weekends/Holidays 10:00 to 1:00 p.m.
Closed Mondays

Admission: 2,48 Euros per person