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    Meet our art handlers

    Behind the scenes

    For this unique behind-the-scenes feature, we talk with the team of art handlers who work for The Phoebus Foundation. Get to know Idris Sevenans, Claire Dieltjes, Bram Van Broeckhoven, Claartje Borgmann and Florian Sevenans who manage and organize, under the supervision of our CO ...

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      Baroque Artists’ Portraits

      Podcast

      With Koen Fillet and Leen Kelchtermans, researcher at The Phoebus Foundation In this episode, we dive into the fascinating world of Baroque self-portraits. Together with Dr Leen Kelchtermans, we discover more about the fascinating dynamic created when artists are both the model a ...

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        New Season of WIK

        News article

        September has ushered in a fresh new season at WIK, and it’s brimming with exciting updates for all art enthusiasts! Join Leonard and his trusty virtual companion, JOS, on an enthralling vlog journey as they unravel why experiencing art in the real world is an absolute m ...

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        Collection highlights

        The Life of Mary: The Marriage of the Virgin

        Onbekende meester, 1418-25

        Don’t go into the woods, Celina

        Edgard Tytgat, 1929

        Zelfportret met stilleven

        Self-Portrait with Still Life

        Fernando Botero, 1963

        Black Bread

        Constant Permeke, 1923

        Saint Barbara

        Onbekende meester, 18de eeuw

        Figures

        Constant, Corneille, 1950

        Untitled (Female Skeleton)

        Fernando Botero, 1980

        7287

        Orbis Terrae Compendiosa Descriptio

        Rumold Mercator naar Gerard Mercator, 1587

        Theatrum Orbis Terrarum

        Abraham Ortelius, 1575

        Børneleg (Children’s Game)

        Asger Jorn, 1953

        7443

        Celestial Globe

        Jodocus Hondius, 1648

        Rotor mit Interferenzen

        Heinz Mack, 1960

        7253

        Lass tausend Blumen blühen

        Anselm Kiefer, 1998

        Etruscan Mirror

        Onbekende meester, ca. 400-300 v.Chr.

        Village with a Group of Trees and a Mule

        Pieter Bruegel I, ca. 1554

        Study of an Old Woman

        Peter Paul Rubens, ca. 1615-20

        Spring

        Valerius De Saedeleer, ca. 1926

        Moonscape with Merry Animals

        Constant, 1948

        La chasse

        Karel Appel, 1956

        Skeleton Arresting Masqueraders

        James Ensor, 1891

        7519

        Our Lady of Aránzazu

        Onbekende meester (Mexico), 18de eeuw

        Farmer’s Wife

        Gustave Van de Woestyne, 1926

        The Assumption of the Virgin

        Nicolás Enríquez, 1744

        Landscape with Mountains and Fruit Trees

        Diego Rivera, 1948

        Portrait of the Antwerp Jeweller Johannes Gansacker

        Antoon Van Dyck, ca. 1620-21

        El caballo y el picador

        Antonio Berni, ca. 1960

        Portrait of an Old Woman

        Quinten Metsys, ca. 1510

        Bridal Ensemble in Valenciennes Lace

        Winter in Etikhove

        Valerius De Saedeleer, ca. 1926

        Virgin and Child with Archangel

        Juan Correa, ca. 1710

        On the balcony

        Léon De Smet, 1905

        Papaver (II) Poppy (II)

        Jan Fabre, 2009

        Twee albasten pleurants voor het grafmonument van Jean de Berry

        Two Alabaster Pleurants for the Mausoleum of Duke Jean de Berry

        Etienne Bobillet en Paul Mosselman, ca. 1450-53

        Design for a Ceiling Piece in the Jesuit Church in Antwerp: Saint Margaret

        Peter Paul Rubens, ca. 1620

        Antwerp Cathedral

        The Pink Alley

        Rik Wouters, 1912

        7204

        One of the Eleven Portraits with the genealogy of the Inca Emperors

        Onbekende meester, 18de eeuw

        The Virgin and Child with Saints Thomas, John the Baptist, Jerome and Louis (detail)

        Hugo Van der Goes en atelier, ca. 1470-82

        Amorphous Figures

        Roberto Matta, 1940

        Papaver (I) Poppy (I)

        Jan Fabre, 2009

        The Dark Night of Aranoë

        Leonora Carrington, 1976

        The Fishmonger’s Stall

        Frans Snijders, 1620-30

        Constructif “La Panne”

        Joaquin Torres-Garcia, 1932

        Pair of Silk Boots from Central Asia

        Onbekende meester, 1010-1160

        The Lovers

        Gust. De Smet, 1921

        Currently on view

        Head-Baker

        17/07/2023 - 17/07/2024

        The Epitaph Altarpiece of Salomon Hendrickx

        01/03/2023 - 01/03/2024

        Jewelry splendour at DIVA

        24/03/2023 - 01/03/2024

        Het Kunstuur Hasselt 2

        12/09/2023 - 14/04/2024

        Frans Hals

        18/09/2023 - 15/06/2024

        Brueghel: The Family Reunion

        30/09/2023 - 07/01/2024

        Rubens at Palazzo Te. Painting, Transformation and Freedom

        07/10/2023 - 07/01/2024

        Kunstuur Mechelen 6

        13/10/2023 - 31/05/2024

        Ingenious women. Women Artists and their Companions

        14/10/2023 - 28/01/2024

        Turning Heads

        20/10/2023 - 21/01/2024

        DIERIC BOUTS. Creator of images

        20/10/2023 - 14/01/2024

        From scribble to cartoon: Drawings from Bruegel to Rubens

        17/11/2023 - 18/02/2024

        Le sport, tout un art !

        25/11/2023 - 21/04/2024

        3500 years of textile art

        Permanent

        Burcht Singelberg

        Permanent

        Rascals & rebels

        Permanent

        The CoBrA Depot

        Permanent

        Head-Baker

        Exhibition

        17/07/2023 - 17/07/2024

        Another masterpiece from our collection has been given the place of honor at the Keizerskapel in Antwerp! This month, the portrait of Michael Sweerts was replaced by the extraordinary seventeenth century artwork The Head-Baker. This enigmatic scene is very peculiar as it shows bakers decapitating people and then kneading, deforming and replacing their heads. An example of creepy plastic surgery? The painting contains various moralizing messages from which the seventeenth century viewer had to take lessons.  But what exactly are these hidden meanings? Discover ...

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        The Epitaph Altarpiece of Salomon Hendrickx

        Travelling treasures

        01/03/2023 - 01/03/2024

        Discover the majestic splendour of this unique altarpiece from The Phoebus Foundation collection at the Basilica of Our Lady in Tongeren. From March 2023, visitors to this outstanding thirteenth-century edifice can also learn about the rich history of this sixteenth-century altarpiece. Made of oak and with painted inner and outer wings, the altarpiece also reveals a gilded Malines house altar in the centre. The alabaster relief depicts The Flagellation, while the medallion at the top represents God, the Father and the Holy Spirit. Salomon Hendrickx was one of the most impor ...

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        Jewelry splendour at DIVA

        Travelling treasuresTravelling treasures

        24/03/2023 - 01/03/2024

        From the 24th of March, visitors of DIVA (museum of diamonds, jewelry, and silver) celebrate the long-awaited reopening of the museum but also admire this hair jewel crafted in gold and set with diamonds and rubies from The Phoebus Foundation collection. This unique piece is mounted on a spring, allowing diamonds to sparkle at the slightest head movement. Moreover, this hair jewelry features a horn-blowing monkey on a carriage, a popular feature during the 18th century.

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        Het Kunstuur Hasselt 2

        Travelling treasures

        12/09/2023 - 14/04/2024

        Het Kunstuur features regularly masterpieces by Belgian artists. In a playful way, every artwork is highlighted in a unique setting through music and unique stories told by several well-known Flemish figures. From the 12th of September, two works from The Phoebus Foundation collection will be shown during the second exhibition of Het Kunstuur Hasselt. ‘The Cyclist’ by Hubert Malfait will be accompanied by a story told by media personality Saartje Vandendriessche, while Alain Remue will bring a story about Frits Van den Berghe’s work titled ‘Obsession ...

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        Frans Hals

        Travelling treasures

        18/09/2023 - 15/06/2024

        In the forthcoming seasons of autumn 2023 and spring 2024, the illustrious legacy of Frans Hals will be commemorated through a series of distinguished exhibitions hosted by renowned institutions such as The National Gallery and Rijksmuseum. Notably, the Frans Hals Museum will proudly contribute to this celebration by showcasing a trio of exquisite works from our collection, that will be on view from the 18th of September. Hals is still celebrated for his revolutionary contributions to portrait and genre painting. His style is characterised, among other things, by bold, loos ...

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        Brueghel: The Family Reunion

        Travelling treasures

        30/09/2023 - 07/01/2024

        The Brueghel family, spanning several generations of remarkable artists, has left a significant mark on the art world. This dynasty of painters, predominantly active during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries in the Southern Netherlands, produced a body of work that encapsulates the essence of their time while transcending the boundaries of their era. In this manner, the Brueghels, as well as their work, remained cherished for generations. To celebrate this enduring legacy, Het Noordbrabants Museum brought together the best works from five generations in an ambitious ex ...

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        Rubens at Palazzo Te. Painting, Transformation and Freedom

        Travelling treasures

        07/10/2023 - 07/01/2024

        Peter Paul Rubens, a luminary of the Baroque era, stands as one of the most celebrated painters in the history of art, having left an indelible mark on the world of art through his masterful creations, elevating the art of painting to new heights of grandeur and emotional intensity. But how did Rubens develop a unique artistic language that combined elements of Italian Renaissance and Flemish traditions? Which influences shaped his distinctive vocabulary, blending Flemish and Italian styles seamlessly? From the 7th of October 2023, Palazzo Te in Mantua embarks on a profound ...

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        Kunstuur Mechelen 6

        Travelling treasures

        13/10/2023 - 31/05/2024

        Het Kunstuur regularly features masterpieces by Belgian artists. In a playful way, every artwork is highlighted in a unique setting through music and unique stories told by several well-known Flemish figures. The sixth exhibition at Kunstuur Mechelen will also feature two works from The Phoebus Foundation collection, namely The Dynamic of Dance by avant-garde artist Jules Schmalzigaug and The Klappeien at Bachte-Maria-Leerne by Emile Claus. The sixth exhibition of Het Kunstuur in Mechelen will run from the 13th of October 2023 till the 31st of April 2024. For more info and ...

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        Ingenious women. Women Artists and their Companions

        Travelling treasures

        14/10/2023 - 28/01/2024

        With Ingenious Women: Women Artists and Their Companions, the Bucerius Art Forum explores the careers of exceptional women artists from the sixteenth to the eighteenth century. Reflecting on contemporary themes such as equality and work-life balance, the exhibition highlights their achievements in the context of their families and alongside male artists. At the same time, the remarkable careers of these pioneering female artists are celebrated. During this exhibition, no fewer than four works from The Phoebus Foundation collection will be displayed, including a fascinating ...

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        Turning Heads

        Travelling treasures

        20/10/2023 - 21/01/2024

        Experience a fascinating journey into the world of tronies with Turning Heads. The exhibition at KMSKA highlights the emergence of a new genre, namely head studies. During the 16th and 17th centuries, artists like Rubens, Rembrandt and Vermeer delved into the art of depicting faces individually and in all their glory. Tronies were not meant to be traditional portraits of identifiable individuals but rather served as studies or exercises for artists to explore various facial expressions, emotions, and character types. From the 20th of October 2023 till the 21st of January 20 ...

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        DIERIC BOUTS. Creator of images

        Travelling treasures

        20/10/2023 - 14/01/2024

        M Leuven will present a comprehensive retrospective dedicated to Dieric Bouts starting this autumn. Bouts was a Flemish 15th-century painter from Haarlem who settled in Leuven, where he found his creative haven and gained recognition for his various masterpieces. The emotional depth, attention to detail, and masterful use of light and shadow defined Bouts’ enduring legacy. Furthermore, the exhibition thoroughly revisits these five-century-old masterpieces by confronting them with contemporary visual culture, allowing for new perspectives of looking at art and image-ma ...

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        From scribble to cartoon: Drawings from Bruegel to Rubens

        Travelling treasures

        17/11/2023 - 18/02/2024

        From the 17th of November, the Plantin-Moretus Museum will display 85 astonishing drawings by old masters from various Flemish collections. From scribble to cartoon: Drawings from Bruegel to Rubens offers a fascinating and comprehensive look at the art of drawing in the 16th and 17th centuries. This exhibition not only presents a captivating array of drawings but also offers a deeper exploration of the ‘who,’ ‘why,’ and ‘how’ of drawing during this fascinating period. Visitors are encouraged to delve into the motivations behind each ...

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        Le sport, tout un art !

        Travelling treasures

        25/11/2023 - 21/04/2024

        Charleroi’s Museum of Fine Arts presents a new exhibition that explores the dynamic synergy between sport and art. With sport as a universal challenge and source of inspiration for various artists throughout history, it forms the outset of the exhibition. Moreover, the showcase offers the opportunity to admire Théo Van Rysselberghe’s iconic tennis match from The Phoebus Foundation collection. The exhibition will run from the 25th of November 2023 until the 21st of April 2024 at Musée des Beaux-Arts in Charleroi.

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        3500 years of textile art

        Exhibition

        Permanent

        Cotton, wool and leather. Katoen Natie was formed to trade, ship, and handle these basic raw materials. Today, the Katoen Natie group provides port and logistics services for a range of other sectors; however, it has maintained its links with the original business through a fascinating collection of antique textile art. ‘3500 Years of Textile Art’ illustrates the history of Egypt, from the Pharaonic to the Islamic period. In five serene rooms you will discover ancient textile art, clothing, accessories and other archaeological finds from ancient Egypt, the Near East and ...

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        Burcht Singelberg

        Exhibition

        Permanent

        In a powerful and wide landscape on the Scheldt in Beveren, Katoen Natie built a contemporary office castle that fully matches the historic character of the area. Burcht Singelberg is named after the name of the castle of the Beveren glory, which played a key role in the separation of the southern and northern Netherlands in 1585. Only a hill remains of the historic castle, where the contemporary Burcht Singelberg has been erected. Katoen Natie and Indaver, among others, are based there. The buildings are grouped in a conglomerate, a bold whole that manifests itself promine ...

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        Rascals & rebels

        Exhibition

        Permanent

        The exhibition “Rascals & Rebels”, which adorns the corridors of the HeadquARTers, brings together contemporary European and Latin American artists. Every artist addresses a social, political or cultural topic in his own playful or rebellious way. Sculptures by Maria Causa and Jose Gurvich, paintings by Edgard Tytgat and Julio Laraz, installations by Libero Badii and Eddo Stern, … They encourage the visitor to reflect on the generally accepted ideas.

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        The CoBrA Depot

        Exhibition

        Permanent

        The CoBrA depot joins Katoen Natie’s HeadquARTers. It is an exploration of the very diverse collection: paintings, graphic work, sculptures and applied art, bibliophile editions and other publications as the foundation of the movement. Versatility is the strong suit of this collection. The big names of CoBrA are present: Dotremont, Alechinsky, Appel, Corneille, Constant and Jorn, among many others. From a slightly odd concept, totally in line with CoBrA, the depot visit gives the opportunity to experience the essence of the CoBrA movement ...

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