With Koen Fillet and Sven Van Dorst, head of restoration at The Phoebus Foundation studio. Butterflies, exotic curiosities and flowers from every corner of the world come together in a composition that feels as meticulous as it is impossible. A story of botanical fascination, ambition, and the art of collecting. Find out more in our publication:
Read moreExplore
From every collection unfolds a world of research, conversations, discoveries and unexpected connections. This page brings together fragments from the universe of The Phoebus Foundation, offering a glimpse into the ideas, stories, people and projects that continuously keep the collection in motion.
The Rose Garden / Arne Quinze
Park and sculptures draw on the Renaissance ideal in which art, architecture and landscape merged into a harmonious whole. At Singelberg Sculpture Park, the sculpture garden forms a quiet enclave within the industrial backdrop of Antwerp’s harbour. From the garden, the silhouet ...
Read moreGeheugen Collectief at Den Argentin
There you are. In an old warehouse by the Port of Antwerp, a heavy cargo hook in your hands, and beside you a sturdy retired docker showing you how it is done one last time. “Right then, hook it on.” Hook it on? For Geheugen Collectief, a historical project agency that usuall ...
Read moreBoerentoren and Keizerskapel will close their doors from 1 July onwards
On Friday, 1 May 2026, it will be exactly one year since The Phoebus Foundation and Katoen Natie first opened the doors of the Boerentoren to the people of Antwerp, to visitors from across Belgium, and to an international audience. Many climbed the art deco tower along its centur ...
Read moreHeritage Day 2026
On Sunday 26 April, Den Argentin opens its doors for a rather special glimpse into the past of the Port of Antwerp. Discover the remarkable Maritime and Logistics Heritage collection of The Phoebus Foundation, featuring over 1,200 objects that bring the port’s history vividly ...
Read moreIn memoriam: Dr Paul Huvenne (1949–2026)
Once, dying was an art. The medieval ars moriendi taught how to let go of life: with acceptance and dignity, with faith and hope. But one can only die with grace if one has understood what it is to live. Dr Paul Huvenne lived – generously and wholeheartedly, with flair and curi ...
Read moreAnthony Van Dyck – Portrait of Marie Nutius
With Koen Fillet and Leen Kelchtermans, Head of Research and Publications at The Phoebus Foundation. Van Dyck captured his sitters with striking precision and an effortless elegance. Around 1628–1629, he immortalised the Antwerp couple Marie Nutius and Jacob De Witte. Yet it is ...
Read moreMelchior de la Mars – The Lamentation of the Dying Mary Magdalene
With Koen Fillet and Lieke Wijnia, art historian and scholar of religion. In The Lamentation of the Dying Mary Magdalene, Melchior de la Mars places the saint on a kind of stage, poised between death and ecstasy. Her face captures a moment in which physical exhaustion and spiritu ...
Read moreConservation and Restoration Treatment of an Untitled Work (1948) by José Pedro Costigliolo
Clémence Jacqmin, a paintings conservator specialising in modern and contemporary art, works as a freelance conservator for The Phoebus Foundation. Her first assignment concerned the conservation and restoration of an untitled painting from 1948 by the Uruguayan artist José Ped ...
Read moreEdgard Tytgat
Edgard Tytgat moved with ease through the currents of modern art, yet followed only one compass in the end: his own imagination. In his work, expressionism lingers not as a manifesto, but as an undertone. With a sure instinct for colour and form, he created a world in which reali ...
Read morePress Conference: Free Guided Tours of the Boerentoren and Keizerskapel for Antwerp Secondary Schools
During the press conference of 12 February 2026, the city of Antwerp and The Phoebus Foundation announced that all Antwerp secondary schools will be able to visit the construction site of the Boerentoren free of charge. Europe’s first skyscraper thus takes on a clear educationa ...
Read moreThe city of Antwerp and The Phoebus Foundation are organising school visits to the Boerentoren
Antwerp is rich in heritage landmarks that tell the story of the city and add real value to education. The Boerentoren is one such iconic site. With the building currently undergoing a major transformation, this offers pupils a rare and time-limited chance to take a look behind t ...
Read moreFrom storage to exhibition
In the conservation studio of The Phoebus Foundation, we meet Maron Zwakman, junior conservator. In her role, she oversees the Foundation’s outgoing loans, a responsibility that has grown steadily in recent years as an increasing number of works from the collection travel natio ...
Read morePieter Claeissens II – Virgin and Child with Crown Imperial and Llama
With Koen Fillet and Sven Van Dorst, head of restoration at The Phoebus Foundation studio. The Madonna and Child belongs to the established repertoire of European art. Precisely for that reason, Pieter Claeissens II’s Virgin and Child with Crown Imperial and Llama calls fo ...
Read moreWonders of the World – From Maps to Masterpieces
Last week, The Phoebus Foundation signed an agreement for the organisation of the exhibition Wonders of the World – From Maps to Masterpieces, in partnership with The National Museum of Oman. The initiative seeks to strengthen cultural and artistic collaboration between the two ...
Read moreWorkshop on the Heat and Low-Pressure Table in the Conservation Studio
The conservation studio of The Phoebus Foundation has recently acquired a new addition: a heat and low-pressure table. This significantly expands the range of possibilities within conservation projects, while supporting an approach based on minimal intervention and maximum contro ...
Read moreVisit to the Arp Museum during Landscapes of the Soul
Anyone interested in Belgian fin-de-siècle art probably does not think of Germany first. Yet just across the border, there is something well worth seeing. Seelenlandschaften (Landscapes of the Soul) at the Arp Museum offers a fresh look at Belgian art around the turn of the cent ...
Read moreFrans Hals – Two Fisherboys
With Koen Fillet and Lotte Kokkedee and Anna Tummers. Lotte Kokkedee is a PhD candidate on the European research projectARTDETECT: Smart Ways to Detect Forgeries, led by professor dr. Anna Tummersat Ghent University. In this episode, they take a closer look at Two Fisher Boys by ...
Read moreA surprising discovery in Van Verendael’s flower piece
During the 2025 Colloquium of the Belgian Association of Art Conservators, Sven Van Dorst presented a remarkable discovery from the restoration and technical study of Vase of Flowers in a Niche by Nicolaes Van Verendael. His research revealed that the artist incorporated real b ...
Read moreThe History of the Boerentoren – Veronique Van Humskerke
In this first episode about the Boerentoren, Koen Fillet speaks with Véronique Van Humskerke, public historian at GeheugenCollectief, about the impressive book dedicated to this Antwerp icon. Discover how this leading publication came to life and the surprising stories that emer ...
Read moreJustus Sustermans’ Portrait of Cosimo III de’ Medici as a Child in its Final Stage of Restauration
Last month we outlined the initial phase of the restauration of Justus Sustermans’s Portrait of Cosimo III de’ Medici as a Child (1649). The treatment has since reached completion. After the removal of the degraded varnish, the work progressed to structural interventions aime ...
Read morePortrait of Mary Sidney Herbert
With Koen Fillet and Leen Kelchtermans, Head of Research and Publications at The Phoebus Foundation. Flowers may wither and ships may sink, but Mary Herbert’s youthful radiance will last forever. Beneath the pearls and silk you meet a woman ahead of her time – a countess, a w ...
Read moreGarden of Delights. The Seventeenth Century in Bloom
This autumn, the Kadriorg Art Museum in Tallinn presents Garden of Delights. The Seventeenth Century in Bloom, a major exhibition organised in collaboration with The Phoebus Foundation (Antwerp). From 30 August 2025, more than 300 works from the Foundation’s collection will be ...
Read moreHet komt allemaal goed
An unexpected encounter between art and music, between writer-singer Rick de Leeuw and art historian Dr Katharina Van Cauteren, Executive Director of The Phoebus Foundation. Rick de Leeuw followed his gut feeling and imagination. From the rich collection of The Phoebus Foundation ...
Read moreBeneath the Varnish: Justus Sustermans’ Portrait of Cosimo III de’ Medici as a Child
Halfway through her fellowship at The Phoebus Foundation, Brazilian paintings conservator Aline Assumpção from São Paulo is restoring Portrait of Cosimo III de’ Medici as a Child, a delicate work by Flemish master Justus Sustermans (1597–1681). Dating from 1649, when C ...
Read moreLecture and Tour: Explore 3500 Years of Textile Art
Every two years, an international gathering of researchers, curators, conservators and textile specialists meets at the Katoen Natie HeadquARTers for the conference Textiles from the Nile Valley. Led by Dr Cäcilia Fluck, Dr Petra Linscheid and Prof Dr Antoine De Moor, in collabo ...
Read moreMary of Burgundy
With Koen Fillet and Jan Dirk Baetens, Assistant-Professor of nineteenth-century art at Radboud University Nijmegen. A forgotten master, a duchess in a gesture of compassion. Henri Leys does not evoke the past to remember it, but to understand it. Want to know more? Order the acc ...
Read moreBoerentoren Construction Site Tours Extended
The open construction site tours of the Boerentoren (Farmers’ Tower) are being extended once again. This is a unique opportunity to witness this icon in full transformation. From 19 September 2025, visits will be possible every Wednesday afternoon, Friday, weekend and publi ...
Read moreHeritage Day Flanders 2025
During Heritage Day Flanders we took a look behind the scenes at Den Argentin, where we were delighted to welcome more than 200 visitors. Surrounded by monumental cranes, sturdy tractors and old shunting wagons, they experienced the atmosphere of the harbour as it once was. Thank ...
Read morePortrait of Lady Dering
With Koen Fillet and Dr Katharina Van Cauteren, Chief of Staff of The Phoebus Foundation and Executive Director of The Phoebus Foundation Public Benefit Foundation. A story of deeply human emotions – devotion to a husband imposed upon her, anxieties about children, fear of unti ...
Read moreInside the Boerentoren (Farmers’ Tower)
In this second episode on the Boerentoren, Koen Fillet visits the site itself. Guided by Inez Van de Leest, he explores the tower’s century-old structure, its monumental features, and the hidden details that usually remain unseen by the public. Would you like to explore the Boe ...
Read moreTravelling Flowers
At The Phoebus Foundation’s depot, all hands are on deck. Our upcoming exhibition Garden of Delights. The Seventeenth Century in Bloom is soon heading to Estonia, and that calls for meticulous preparation. Every artwork – along with the entire scenography – is being careful ...
Read moreHet komt allemaal goed – Rick de Leeuw
In the latest episode of our podcast, Koen Fillet talks with writer and singer Rick de Leeuw about Het komt allemaal goed, a unique exhibition in the Keizerskapel in Antwerp. Rick was deeply inspired by twelve artworks from our collection and wrote personal texts and new songs to ...
Read moreJohannes Gansacker I
With Koen Fillet and Leen Kelchtermans, Head of Research and Publications at The Phoebus Foundation. In this episode, Dr Leen Kelchtermans and host Koen Fillet uncover the personality of Johannes Gansacker I, an ambitious entrepreneur from seventeenth-century Antwerp. His portrai ...
Read moreA new life for the altarpiece of Saint-Denis-en-Broqueroie
In the workshops of The Phoebus Foundation, the late medieval limestone altarpiece of Saint-Denis-en-Broqueroie is currently undergoing a thorough restoration. Once richly polychromed, the piece shows signs of centuries of neglect: yellowed varnish, soot, grime, and numerous pain ...
Read more‘Het komt allemaal goed’ in the Keizerskapel
When visiting an exhibition, one mostly sees the end result: artworks presented in a carefully considered setting, ready to move, surprise, or provoke thought. But behind that apparent effortlessness lies an intense process that takes months of work by an entire team. For Het kom ...
Read moreMap of the Scheldt river and Zandvliet
In this second episode, we once again take you on a journey into the fascinating world of historical cartography, together with Anne-Rieke van Schaik. This time, old maps of the Scheldt take centre stage – maps that not only mark rivers and borders, but also reveal traces of mi ...
Read moreLeo Belgicus
With Koen Fillet and Anne-Rieke van Schaik, PhD candidate at the University of Amsterdam and author of Groundbreakers. In this first episode of the new season, we dive into the fascinating world of the Leo Belgicus – iconic lion-shaped maps from the sixteenth and seventeenth ce ...
Read moreRestoration of Saint Rosalia
Saint Rosalia is a small, religious scene on a copper support, in the style and palette typical of the artist. The composition centres around two prominent figures: Saint Rosalia of Palermo, Sicily is on the right, depicted in a dark-blue dress, wearing a crown of red roses and h ...
Read moreFrom Rust to Restoration: Preserving Maritime and Logistic Heritage
In the chilly workhalls of Den Argentin, former dockworkers and stevedores work steadily on. With seasoned hands and a wealth of experience, they dedicate themselves to breathing new life into old machines and tools. It is tough work, especially in winter, but their motivation is ...
Read moreRestoration Workshop: Working with Polyvinyl Alcohol-Borax/Agarose Systems
Restoration and conservation techniques are constantly evolving: materials and methods are updated based on new technologies and discoveries. To stay informed about the latest developments, we frequently organise workshops in our restoration studio where specialists share their e ...
Read moreThe rediscovery of the Siege of Horn
In the 1630s, the Antwerp-born Peter Snayers painted the Siege of Horn. Although less known today, he was a famous battle painter in his time. He worked in Brussels, where his main patrons were based: the court and military commanders. They were eager to have their own triumphs ...
Read moreUpdate: restoration panel Maarten De Vos
In an earlier article, we informed you about our treatment of the panel depicting the Apostle Peter with the centurion Cornelius (ca. 1560–1600), attributed to Maarten De Vos. This was a challenging treatment, because the painting was covered by layers of grime, old varnishes ...
Read moreKursaal and Promenade – Léon Spilliaert
With Koen Fillet and Anne Adriaens-Pannier, Spilliaert expert. A lone walker at dawn in Ostend, Léon Spilliaert (1881-1946) is entranced by the bleak and ominous desolation of the promenade. A fascination with spatiality and the expression of infinity underlie the numerous dyke ...
Read morePreventive Conservation: A Month with Shimels and Ayenew at The Phoebus Foundation
Last month, we went behind the scenes and got to know our new student interns, Shimels Ayele Yalew and Ayenew Sileshi Demssie. They supported our team in various activities focused on the preventive conservation of different works from The Phoebus Foundation’s collection. S ...
Read moreEuropa with Balls: The Abduction of Elisabeth Catharina Schut
With Koen Fillet and Leen Kelchtermans, Researcher of The Phoebus Foundation. Discover the story of The Abduction of Europa by Cornelis Schut, where the artist’s brushstrokes unknowingly predicted a surprising twist! Want to know more? Read the accompanying Phoebus Finding ...
Read moreThe restoration of a panel attributed to Maarten De Vos
Painting conservator Franziska Bunse, who has been a Fellow at The Phoebus Foundation for the past three months, is restoring a panel painting from the foundation’s collection under the expert guidance of Sara Mateu and in collaboration with Brian Richardson. This work is a ...
Read moreJan Davidsz. De Heem – Vase of Flowers with Vanitas Symbols
With Koen Fillet and Sven Van Dorst, head of restoration at The Phoebus Foundation studio. The closer you look, the more you see. The fragile reflection of a window frame in the glass of the vase. The crystalline drops of water on the table. The soft glow of the smouldering wick. ...
Read moreBehind the Scenes in Tallinn
On June 21, 2024, the exhibition History and Mistery: Latin American Art and Europe opened at the Kumu Art Museum in Tallinn, Estonia. This exceptional installation features 112 Latin American works curated by Sirje Helme and Kadi Polli, whilst offering a unique scenography desig ...
Read moreRoberto Matta – Amorphous Figures
With Koen Fillet and Naomi Meulemans, project assistant and restorer of modern and contemporary art at The Phoebus Foundation. Who is the Chilean artist Roberto Matta, and how has he evolved in the art world? Naomi Meulemans, restorer and project assistant at The Phoebus Foundati ...
Read moreBehind the Scenes in Montreal
At the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA), a lot of work has been going on behind the scenes over the past few weeks in preparation for the upcoming exhibition Saints, Sinners, Lovers and Fools, which opens on 8 June 2024. A particularly fascinating aspect of the preparation was ...
Read moreHead-Baker
With Koen Fillet and art historian Dr Wendy Wauters. The Phoebus Foundation’s collection includes an unusual painting which has an equally unusual title: Head-Baker. A baker’s servant, frozen in motion, with his cleaver raised high in the air, is poised to decapitate the man ...
Read moreRestoration of Wautier’s ‘Bust of a Saint’
Eva van Zuien, independent restorer specialising in old masters, recently completed the restoration of a true artistic gem. Commissioned by The Phoebus Foundation, she breathed new life into Bust of a Saint by Brussels artist Michaelina Wautier. Michaelina’s distinctive tou ...
Read moreResearch on T. rex skeleton at the Sauriermuseum
At the Sauriermuseum in Aathal, Switzerland, where our 67-million-year-old T. rex, Trinity, is on display, a team of paleontologists led by Dr. Nizar Ibrahim from the University of Portsmouth is conducting a thorough investigation of the skeleton. The researchers have carefully e ...
Read moreThe Portrait in the Low Countries in the Sixteenth Century
With Koen Fillet and Dr Paul Huvenne, art historian and former director of KMSKA. In this episode of Phoebus Focus, host Paul Huvenne explores the world of sixteenth-century portraits, shedding light on the developments and creative innovations within this genre. Curious to learn ...
Read moreRestoration of ‘Eden’: A Glimpse Behind the Scenes
This month, we take you behind the scenes in our restoration studio. Under the guidance of Clara Bondia, Julio Alpuy’s Eden is being prepared for an upcoming exhibition. Julio Alpuy (1919-2009) was a Uruguayan artist closely associated with Torres García’s inner circ ...
Read moreHeritage Day: At Home in the History of the Port!
Do you know why the Antwerp port was a second home to many people in the past? Discover it on April 21st as we once again take part in Heritage Day. During this special occasion, we open the doors of our warehouse ‘De Argentin’, where you can explore our fascinating s ...
Read moreDiego Quispe Tito – The Holy Family in Nazareth
In this episode of the Phoebus Focus podcast, Quispe Tito's 'Holy Family in Nazareth' takes center stage. Katharina Van Cauteren and Koen Fillet explore the fascinating connections between a painting from a brand-new world and a print from a much older one. 'Holy Family' bridges ...
Read moreThrough the art photographer’s lens
In the midst of a bustling schedule filled with numerous projects and publications, these days are also particularly busy in our photo studio. From capturing the intricate details of medieval retables and the timeless allure of baroque portraits to immortalizing the essence of La ...
Read moreNew Information About the Baroque Composer Henricus Liberti
With Koen Fillet and Leen Kelchtermans, Researcher of The Phoebus Foundation This podcast episode reveals new insights into the life and work of Baroque composer Henricus Liberti, thanks to research by Dr. Leen Kelchtermans’ into surviving archival documents. Want to know m ...
Read moreRestoration of the Witches’ Sabbath panel
This month, we take a closer look at the restoration of an intriguing work of art: The Witches’ Sabbath, a 16th-century masterpiece by Frans Verbeek. We focus on the restoration of the oak support, carried out by Brian Richardson, a specialist in the conservation and restor ...
Read moreConstant Permeke
With Koen Fillet and Dr Paul Huvenne, art historian and former director of KMSKA. Discover the profound meaning behind Constant Permeke’s powerful brushstrokes and draw inspiration from the fascinating story of his life and work. Want to know more? Order the accompanying pu ...
Read moreThe Restoration of Archduke Maximilian and Archduchess Elisabeth’s Portraits
Over the past three months, we welcomed a new Phoebus Fellow to our studio: Perrine de Fontenay from Paris. During her fellowship, Perrine focused on the conservation of paintings from our sub-collections of Latin American colonial art and Old Masters. Among other projects, she c ...
Read moreAnonymous – Mere-Monster of Tagua Tagua
With Koen Fillet and Dr Katharina Van Cauteren, chief of staff of The Phoebus Foundation Chancellery. The anonymous Mere-Monster of Lake Tagua Tagua is the synthesis of more than 300 years of visual tradition. At its core, it harks back to medieval encyclopaedias, but its gallant ...
Read moreMeet our art handlers
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 ...
Read moreBaroque Artists’ Portraits
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 ...
Read moreConservation treatment of ‘The Party’ by Rafael Barradas
As part of the conservation of The Phoebus Foundation’s modern and contemporary Latin American collection, Rafael Barradas’s painting The Party from 1910 is currently in the hands of Clara Bondia. It showcases an expressive figurative style that predates BarradasR ...
Read moreUnknown Master – St Luke Painting the Virgin and Child
Uncover the meaning behind the sixteenth-century triptych, St Luke Painting the Madonna, a cherished piece within The Phoebus Foundation collection. Through the meticulous restoration skills of Sven Van Dorst and the comprehensive art historical research conducted by Niels Schall ...
Read moreNew Season of WIK
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 ...
Read moreLooking for Boerentoren stories!
Calling all story tellers! If you share a unique bond with the Boerentoren or have a fascinating historical anecdote to tell, we want to hear from you. Watch the video below for details and reach out to us at verhalen@boerentoren.com
Read moreThe restoration of ‘Prometheus Bound’
Giovanna Tamà is an independent conservator specializing in Old Masters. Join us inside the The Phoebus Foundation restoration studio as she unveils her captivating work on various projects, including the restoration treatment of Prometheus Bound. Let’s take a look behind ...
Read moreAdam Frans Van der Meulen – Entry of Louis XIV in Douai
The Brussels painter Adam Frans Van der Meulen (1632-1690) created quite a furore at the court of the French King Louis XIV (1638-1715). He immortalised his military triumphs, embellished with the necessary pomp and bravado, as he did the royal couple’s entry in Douai, Northern ...
Read moreBecome a Volunteer!
Would you like to tinker with vehicles? Give tractors and cranes a lick of paint? Do you like to document heritage or build models? Do you have a passion for the port and would like to share it with others? For our maritime and logistics heritage sub-collection of more than 1,200 ...
Read moreRestoration of ‘Theatrum Orbis Terrarum’
Oliver Claes has now been working as a paper and book conservator for more than a decade. This includes taking care of the conservation of The Phoebus Foundation’s topographical and historical book collection. For the past three months, Oliver’s work included the rest ...
Read moreHeritage Day Flanders
During the month of September, we will open the doors of our warehouse ‘De Argentin’ for Heritage Day Flanders! This special day is one of the biggest cultural events in Flanders with hundreds of unique monuments throughout the region opening their doors to the public ...
Read morePregnancy portraits by Jacob Jordaens and Anthony van Dyck
Little was known about portraits of pregnant women. Moreover, it was assumed that Southern Netherlandish portraits of mothers-to-be did not exist at all. Until now! Thanks to archival and cultural-historical research, dr Leen Kelchtermans and dr Katharina Van Cauteren were able t ...
Read more‘Noli me tangere’
This month, we welcomed a new Phoebus Fellow into our conservation studio: the French-Dutch painting restorer Annika Roy. For the next three months, Annika is taking care of Hendrick De Clerck’s Noli me tangere. “This painting, dated between 1560 and 1630, depicts a ...
Read moreChildren Portraits
Within portraiture, children's portraits are a special genre. The representations of boys and girls, dressed in lavish attire and in a stately and serious pose, don't immediately catch the eye and even look odd at first glance. But in fact, they house a particularly interesting, ...
Read moreA third self-portrait by Gillis Van Tilborgh
Find out all about the work of Brussels-based artist Gillis Van Tilborgh in the article A Third Self-Portrait by Gillis Van Tilborgh. This iconographic and comparative analysis by Phoebus researcher Dr Leen Kelchtermans and Chief of Staff Dr Katharina Van Cauteren reveals the exi ...
Read moreDiscover the unique portraits of the Inca emperors and Francisco Pizarro
At The Phoebus Foundation’s restoration studio, conservator Carlos González Juste and former Phoebus Fellow, Kaisa-Piia Pedajas, are currently restoring a unique series from the Phoebus collection, namely 12 portraits of Inca emperors and Francisco Pizarro. This month, we ...
Read moreHendrick De Clerck – Susanna and the Elders
In this ‘Phoebus Focus’ episode, chief of staff of The Phoebus Foundation, Dr Katharina Van Cauteren, sheds light on the various meanings and motifs behind the painting ‘Susanna and the Elders’ by the Brussels artist Hendrick De Clerck. With her expertise ...
Read moreTake a step into the wonderful world of Leonora Carrington
Leonora Carrington’s work, The Dark Night of Aranoë is part of the Latin American sub-collection of The Phoebus Foundation. Restorer Naomi Meulemans is in charge of the foundation’s modern and contemporary collections and started the restoration of this work follow ...
Read moreFrits Van den Berghe
With Koen Fillet and art historian Peter J.H. Pauwels In this Phoebus Focus episode, we take a closer look at the oeuvre of Frits Van den Berghe. Based on the Coming Home. Flemish Art 1880-1930 publication, art historian Peter J.H. Pauwels highlights the artist’s strikingly ...
Read moreRestoration of a seventeenth-century family portrait
This month, we go behind the scenes with twin sisters Jill and Ellen Keppens, who are currently restoring the seventeenth-century portrait of a nobleman from the Volpi family with his wife and children. “A while ago, we were introduced to the Volpi family. This intriguing f ...
Read moreTRX-293 TRINITY
You have probably heard or read about it by now. However, we are still extremely excited about the latest addition to the Phoebus collection: the 67-million-year-old Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton, also known as Trinity. Measuring 11.6 metres in length, 3.9 metres in height and with ...
Read moreConservation treatment of The Crucifixion panel by Master of the Legend of Saint Lucy
This month, Chief Conservator of The Phoebus Foundation Sven Van Dorst tells us about the conservation treatment of The Crucifixion panel by Master of the Legend of Saint Lucy. He masterfully describes how this work was created, where the stylistic influences come from, and wha ...
Read moreFrans Ykens – Kitchen Still Life
test Things are not always what they seem, as shown in Kitchen Still Life with Christ in the House of Martha and Mary. Without the title to guide us, the scene might easily be mistaken for an ordinary still life. Only on closer inspection does the painting begin to reveal an enti ...
Read morePlantin and Montanus – Biblia Regia printed on vellum
With Koen Fillet and Dirk Imhof, former curator of books and archives at the Plantin-Moretus Museum in Antwerp. In this Phoebus Focus episode, Dr Dirk Imhof outlines the context and significance of Christophe Plantin’s Biblia Regia on vellum, one of the most impressive book ...
Read moreHeritage Day: Animals at the Port, from Horses to Elephants
Parents and children can enjoy a unique visit to The Phoebus Foundation sub-collection of Maritime and Logistic Heritage this year. ‘Sparrow beaks’, ‘pig ears’, ‘crabs’, the transport of wild animals, the ‘nation’s horses’ and ...
Read moreJan Borman II – Madonna and Child
With Koen Fillet and Marjan Debaene, sculpture specialist and Head of Collections at M Leuven. In this Phoebus Focus episode, sculptor Jan Borman II gets the recognition he deserves thanks to sculpture specialist and Head of Collections at M Leuven Marjan Debaene. The a ...
Read moreBehind the paint layers with Sofia Hennen
This month, we take you behind the scenes with Sofia Hennen, paintings conservator and art historian, who recently restored the work titled Tavern Interior by Pieter Pietersz from our collection. “The conservation-restoration treatment of Tavern Interior by Pieter Piete ...
Read moreExclusive interview with Paul Boudens
In February, our graphic designer Paul Boudens received the prestigious Henry van de Velde Lifetime Achievement Award. Paul has become a constant presence in the Belgian fashion and design world over the past three decades. His distinctive approach has earned him major national a ...
Read moreJan Brueghel I – Flowers in a Vase with a Clump of Cyclamen and Precious Stones
With Koen Fillet and Sven Van Dorst, head of conservation at The Phoebus Foundation studio Daffodils, pink roses, an orange lily, tulips, bright blue irises … The variety of flowers and the bright colours is overwhelming and almost splashes off this little panel. This compo ...
Read moreAnthony Van Dyck – Portrait of Henricus Liberti
With Koen Fillet and Timothy De Paepe, director of Museum Vleeshuis. In this Phoebus Focus episode, we dive behind the mysterious portrait of the musician Henricus Liberti by Anthony Van Dyck. Director of Museum Vleeshuis, Timothy De Paepe, outlines a brief history of the man who ...
Read moreRestoration of a Wim Delvoye display cabinet
This month, we take you behind the scenes with Brian Richardson, a specialist in the conservation and restoration of wooden objects and furniture. Brian recently worked on an unusual installation by contemporary Flemish artist Wim Delvoye, which consists of a display case contain ...
Read moreUnknown Antwerp Master – Portrait of a Young Woman
With Koen Fillet and Leen Kelchtermans, researcher of The Phoebus Foundation Who is this young lady, and by whom was she so accurately portrayed? In this episode, researcher of The Phoebus Foundation, Leen Kelchtermans, unravels the mystery behind this seventeenth-century portrai ...
Read more‘Wat is Kunst?’ launch
Our brand-new art project for kids is finally here: ‘Wat is Kunst?’ (What is Art?) or WIK! WIK is an interactive art platform for kids from the ages of 8 to 12. In several comical vlogs focusing on art questions, presenter Leonard and his virtual assistant JOS take yo ...
Read moreJules De Bruycker – Patershol in Ghent
At first glance, this artwork seems to depict a winter scene with happy children playing in the snow, but upon closer inspection, we discover that nothing is what it looks like. In this episode of Phoebus Focus, Koen Fillet talks with art historian Inge Misschaert about Ghent etc ...
Read moreDr Katharina Van Cauteren in ‘Berg en Dal’
Discover the latest episode of the KLARA radio programme Berg en Dal with Pat Donnez and none other than Dr Katharina Van Cauteren, Chief of Staff of The Phoebus Foundation! (in Dutch)
Read moreHendrick De Clerck – The Garden of Eden with the Four Elements
In this episode of ‘Phoebus Focus’, you will discover everything about the garden of Eden, political propaganda, Archdukes Albrecht and Isabella, and the gardens of the Coudenberg Palace. But what do they all have to do with each other? Dr Katharina Van Cauteren, chie ...
Read moreWat is Kunst? (What is Art?)
Discover our upcoming art project for children: Wat is Kunst? (Dutch for “What is art?”), also known as WIK. We are developing an interactive art platform for children aged 8 to 12. Through a series of comic vlogs built around playful art questions, presenter Leonard, known f ...
Read moreBehind the scenes in Sudbury
Collection Consultant Katrijn Van Bragt and Conservator Naomi Meulemans take you along on their journey to Sudbury, Suffolk (UK), for the installation of the Painting Flanders exhibition at Gainsborough’s House! Katrijn and Naomi made sure more than 40 masterpieces by Emile C ...
Read moreNew findings from the Hamilton Kerr Institute Bulletin
This month, we dive into Camille Polkownik’s new article ‘An examination of a group of works related to Albrecht Dürer’s trip to the Netherlands’, in: Hamilton Kerr Institute, Bulletin, 9 (2022): 87-102. Among other things, the article examines a portrait from ou ...
Read morePhoebus Fellow of the month: Clara Bondia
This month, we go behind the scenes of our restoration studio, where a new Phoebus Fellow joins the team for three months: Clara Bondia. She is pleased to share more about her projects at The Phoebus Foundation. “On the one hand, I am studying and restoring an eighteenth-ce ...
Read moreJacob Jordaens – Saint Begga
With Koen Fillet and Leen Kelchtermans, Researcher of The Phoebus Foundation In this episode of Phoebus Focus, you will learn everything about religious women and their devotion, but also about Catholic and dynastic power plays. Phoebus researcher Leen Kelchtermans and Koen Fille ...
Read moreJoris Hoefnagel – Elegant Company in a Garden
With Koen Fillet and Timothy de Paepe, director of Museum Vleeshuis. In this episode, Timothy De Paepe peels the layers of a late sixteenth-century scene, as if it were an onion. If you look superficially, you see what the title of the work promises: elegantly dressed figures cel ...
Read morePhoebus Reads
This month we are captivated by the new study of Dr Leen Kelchtermans and Dr Katharina Van Cauteren published in the international peer-reviewed journal devoted to Dutch and Flemish art, Simiolus. From drawings to comprehensive work of art: a reconstruction of Jacob JordaensR ...
Read moreA look behind the preparation of a condition check
Our exhibition Saints, Sinners, Lovers, and Fools at the Denver Art Museum is getting closer! However, preparations for such a large-scale project involve a lot of work. Our colleague Laura Geudens is happy to take you behind the scenes. “As I have a conservation and restor ...
Read morePeter Snayers – Attack on Travellers
With Koen Fillet and Leen Kelchtermans, Researcher of The Phoebus Foundation War, insecurity, refugees, and economic crisis are just a few suspiciously familiar-sounding keywords that marked the 17th century. Peter Snayers specialised in painting war scenes. Besides large canvase ...
Read moreCrazier about Dymphna
Our Crazy about Dymphna exhibition has been extended until the 2nd of October! For those who have not found the opportunity yet to get to know the remarkable Saint Dymphna and the impressive altarpiece by Goossen Van der Weyden, you have three more weeks to get to Geel! Thanks t ...
Read moreHow do we date wood?
This month, we had the honour and pleasure of welcoming Dr Andrea Seim to The Phoebus Foundation’s art conservation studio. With her exceptional knowledge and research in dendrochronology – the scientific method of dating annual rings of trees (also called growth ring ...
Read moreKarel Appel – Bird
Conservator Naomi Meulemans looks over the shoulder of CoBrA artist Karel Appel with the work 'Bird' (1954). Like no other, she is able to unlock secrets from the materiality of the paint. The author dissects Appel's painting layer by layer. The outcome is somewhat sobering. Were ...
Read moreDiscover the neon paint layers of Roberto Matta
Our sub-collection of Latin American art is also undergoing conservation treatments! Phoebus Conservator Naomi Meulemans is happy to take you behind the paint layers of Amorphous Figures by Chilean artist Roberto Matta (1911-2002). “Matta cre ...
Read moreCrack the Dimpna Code
Still looking for the ideal holiday activity for the whole family? In need of the perfect combination of cool air, culture and relaxation?
Read moreJacob Jordaens – Portrait of Elisabeth Jordaens
The portrait of Elisabeth Jordaens may seem charming at first sight, but it also raises many questions. Who was Elisabeth Jordaens? When did her father, the famous Jacob Jordaens, paint her portrait and why does she look like a peasant girl? In this episode, Jordaens expert Leen ...
Read moreA closer look at our loan programme
You may have noticed… Our loan activities do not stand still! Moreover, ever since the end of the (worst) Covid-19 pandemic, we have a particularly large number of artworks that are leaving our warehouse on a short or longer journey to be presented in Belgium and abroad. Fo ...
Read morePhoebus goes USA!
Fall will be exciting... Because The Phoebus Foundation is going to the USA!
Read moreGoossen Van der Weyden – The Life of Saint Dymphna
The life of Saint Dymphna reads like a fairy tale! The life story of this remarkable saint appeals so much to the imagination that Goossen Van der Weyden (1465-1538), grandson of the famous Rogier, painted an altarpiece, consisting of eight panels, with an episode from the life o ...
Read moreMeet our Phoebus Fellow: Alexandra
Meet our new Phoebus Fellow: Alexandra Taylor! All the way from New Zealand, Alexandra joined our conservation team last month. She will assist our conservators in various projects for the next three months. Alexandra immediately started with the treatment of Jan Miel’s Figure ...
Read moreMaerten De Vos – The Allegory of the Seven Liberal Arts
Never heard of Maerten De Vos (1532-1603)? In sixteenth-century Antwerp he may have been a superstar, but today his fame is far less than that of, for example, Peter Paul Rubens. In this episode, Hildegard Van de Velde, curator of the Snijders&Rockox House Museum, introduces you ...
Read moreMichaelina Wautier – Study of a Young Woman
At first glance, Study of a Young Woman (c. 1649–1659) by the Brussels artist Michaelina Wautier appears to be a straightforward study. Nothing could be further from the truth. A closer look, beneath the surface of the paint, reveals the many layers and unanswered questions sur ...
Read moreBehind the scenes with Dymphna
Crazy about Dymphna opened a month ago in Geel! Project coordinator Niels Schalley is happy to tell you more about the construction and installation of this fascinating exhibition: “After a two-year delay because of Covid-19, it was fantastic to finally be able to bring the ...
Read moreDymphna is finally coming home!
From April 1 onwards, we bring Goossen Van der Weyden’s exceptional Dymphna altarpiece to the place where it all began: Geel! With Crazy about Dymphna, The Phoebus Foundation is showing the altarpiece with the life of Saint Dymphna by Goossen Van der Weyden, grandson of the fam ...
Read moreDaniel Seghers – Vase with Roses, Daffodils and Tulips
Koen Fillet and Sven Van Dorst dive into the wonderful world of flowers of the Antwerp Jesuit and superstar Daniel Seghers (1590-1661). Seghers worked with Peter Paul Rubens, Cornelis Schut, Gonzales Coques and Erasmus II Quellinus. The highest-ranking nobles queued up for his fl ...
Read moreAt Home with Jordaens
Discover the Antwerp superstar Jacob Jordaens like never before and be surprised by the stories behind his ingenious and sometimes witty paintings. What’s more: in the reconstruction of his showroom, you can actually visit the master at home! In cooperation with the Frans H ...
Read moreConservation treatment of Jordaens’ Christ Triumphant
Conservators Titania Hess and Laura Guilluy take you behind the scenes of the Phoebus conservation studio! ‘Christ Triumphiant, by Jacob Jordaens, has undergone a full restoration treatment! As the painting was relined during a previous treatment, the canvas was in excellen ...
Read moreDon’t miss our exhibition in Haarlem!
The sun is shining, the Covid-19 measures have (almost) disappeared,… ideal for a trip to Haarlem! Until May 8, you can admire At Home with Jordaens at the Frans Hals Museum: the first monographic exhibition of the seventeenth-century Antwerp master Jacob Jordaens in the Ne ...
Read moreConservation treatment of Los Muñecos
We start this new year with launching exciting conservation projects at the Phoebus conservation studio! Naomi Meulemans, conservator of the modern and contemporary sub-collections, oversees the restoration campaign of the installation Los Muñecos, created in 1960 by Italian-Arg ...
Read moreFrom Memling to Rubens
Why does Hans Memling paint every detail with such precision? How did Rubens manage, with a few brushstrokes, to create an effect that would have made Steven Spielberg jealous? And why were the Southern Netherlands the artistic centre of the world for three centuries? From Memlin ...
Read moreDiscover the secrets of The Virgin of the Candlelight
As usual at The Phoebus Foundation, conservation and research go hand in hand. A beautiful example is The Virgin of the Candlelight, an anonymous Peruvian work on canvas from the 18th century which is part of the collection Latin-American art from the Colonial period. Conservator ...
Read moreBehind the scenes of the Ensor exhibition in Mannheim
For the exhibition James Ensor in Kunsthalle Mannheim (DE), conservator Naomi Meulemans travelled in 2021 as a courier to Germany to help with the installation of no less than 5 artworks that The Phoebus Foundation gave in loan for this project. The work of the Belgian artist Jam ...
Read moreDive behind the paint layers of Joos Van Cleve
Phoebus Fellow Anna Rota (IT) is happy to offer you a glimpse behind the scenes of her conservation project at The Phoebus Foundation: ‘Despite its small size (25 x 25 cm), this painting by the studio of Joos Van Cleve (1485-1541), immediately attracts our attention. The un ...
Read moreDiscover the project of Phoebus Fellow Anne-Rieke
Art historian Anne-Rieke van Schaik (NL) focused during het fellowship on the sub-collection Topography and Cartography. Anne-Rieke is glad to give an insight in her Phoebus Fellowship program: ‘Early modern media, the narrative qualities of cartography, and the intertwinin ...
Read moreGoodbye, Tallinn!
Time flies! After more than seven months, we said goodbye to the city of Tallinn at the end of November 2021, where we organized the exhibitions From Memling to Rubens and Crazy about Dymphna at the Kadriorg Museum and the Niguliste Museum. It was such an honour to travel abroad ...
Read more‘At Home with Jordaens’ is extented!
With isolations and quarantines, the end of the coronapandemic does not seem to be in sight. Even our paintings of the famous Jacob Jordaens (1593-1678) in Haarlem had to go into lockdown for a few weeks. Fortunately, we have great news: the At home with Jordaens exhibition ...
Read moreTake a look through the lens of our photographer
Collection registration and beautiful books don’t exist without perfect images. Take a look behind the scenes of our photo studio where our photographers capture various artworks with their lenses. Michel is happy to tell you more about this fascinating and challenging task. Is ...
Read moreA glimpse behind the scenes of our Maritime and Logistic Heritage Volunteers
Discover a very special part of The Phoebus Foundation’s collection: Maritime and Logistic Heritage! A team of enthusiastic volunteers is in charge of the daily routine of this extraordinary collection. As retired dockworkers with a passion for heritage they know this collectio ...
Read moreConservation treatment of the oldest oil painting in our collection
Take a look behind the scenes at the restoration treatment of one of the oldest oil paintings from the collection of The Phoebus Foundation. Dating from c.1418-25, the artwork is even older than the famous Ghent Altarpiece by the brothers van Eyck (1432). Consisting of four panel ...
Read moreThe Bold and the Beautiful
The many portraits from the Middle Ages to the early modern period from The Phoebus Foundation collection formed the ideal starting point for the fascinating story of the history of portraiture. In 2020, The Phoebus Foundation, in cooperation with the Museum Snijders&Rockox H ...
Read moreFox Hunt
In 2018, the Chancellery of The Phoebus Foundation introduced the public to a new sub-collection. Fox Hunt was not just any exhibition: it comprised a cycling and presentation circuit devoted to the legend of Reynard the Fox. The wide-ranging Reynard collection was presented in t ...
Read moreThe Birth of Capitalism
The Phoebus Foundation, in collaboration with the Province of East Flanders, organized its very first exhibition in 2016 at the Caermersklooster Provincial Cultural Centre in Ghent. It marked the Chancellery’s first appearance as a new player in the field of old masters. The B ...
Read moreA Date with Frans Snyders
A spin-off of the exhibition The Bold and the Beautiful took place in Museum Vleeshuis. On the second floor you could admire three tasty paintings by Frans Snijders from the collection of The Phoebus Foundation in a surprising presentation by Walter Van Beirendonck.
Read moreTake a look behind the paint layers of Jordaens’ The Sleeping Antiope
Especially for At home with Jordaens, various works by Jacob Jordaens underwent an extensive conservation treatment. Conservators Jill and Ellen Keppens take you behind the paint layers of The Sleeping Antiope Approached by Jupiter (1660). ‘This painting reminded us of an o ...
Read moreLace is more! Five reasons to visit
Lace can have an old-fashioned reputation at times, but in 2019 the Chancellery of The Phoebus Foundation brought this centuries-old luxury textile very much to life. The Phoebus Foundation collaborated with the City of Aalst, the Jan De Nul and Van de Velde companies and with Wi ...
Read moreFour generations of lace with Myriam De Saedeleer
Meet Myriam De Saedeleer: lace expert and manufacturer from a striking family of lace producers. In the context of the exhibition Lace is More, Myriam tells her unique story.
Read moreJani meets Lace is More!
Flemish fashion guru Jani Kazaltzis visits the exhibition Lace is More! together with curator Katharina Van Cauteren and discovers the surprising history of lace.
Read moreLace from Calais and Caudry
Caudry, in the north of France, is the world centre of the lace industry, along with Calais. The region has six active companies, which export 80% of their production worldwide, mainly for haute couture and the luxury segment of ready-to-wear clothing. The excellence of the craft ...
Read moreRevisit Lace is more!
In 2019, The Phoebus Foundation organised Lace is More!: an opulent exhibition that introduced visitors to five centuries of cultural history. It focused on lace clothing and accessories as true status symbols, which were often passed on from mother to daughter, or from father to ...
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