{"id":1492,"date":"2021-09-16T10:58:01","date_gmt":"2021-09-16T08:58:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/phoebusfoundation.org\/the-phoebus-foundation\/"},"modified":"2026-05-12T11:18:16","modified_gmt":"2026-05-12T09:18:16","slug":"the-phoebus-foundation","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/phoebusfoundation.org\/en\/the-phoebus-foundation\/","title":{"rendered":"The Phoebus Foundation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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The Phoebus Foundation SON is an art foundation with philanthropic objectives. The foundation acquires art and provides a professional framework for the conservation and management of art works, ensures their preservation and restoration and aims to achieve a high level of scientific research. The results of these efforts are shared as widely as possible by means of exhibitions and loans, cultural events, symposia and publications. On 15 October 2023, The Phoebus Foundation was officially recognised by the Belgian Minister of Justice as a public benefit foundation (in Dutch: \u2018Stichting van Openbaar Nut\u2019, or SON for short). This enhances its impact and allows it to further develop its initiatives.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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BROCHURE<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
FIVE-YEAR REPORT (2015\u20132020)<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
FIVE-YEAR REPORT (2021\u20132025)<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Origin of the Collection<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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The Phoebus Foundation originated from the private collection of Fernand Huts and Karine Van den Heuvel, complemented by the artworks of the family company Katoen Natie. Over the years, this ensemble has grown into an impressive collection encompassing works from a wide range of artistic disciplines and fields<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Why a Foundation?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Families and companies change over time. The interests of future generations may not necessarily lie with art and economic circumstances can also fluctuate. Therefore, there was a risk that the collection might one day be sold or dispersed. To avoid this, the decision was taken to place the entire collection in an independent art foundation: The Phoebus Foundation. This ensures that the collection is preserved as a whole.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Subcollections<\/h2>\n <\/div>\n \n\n
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The collection of The Phoebus Foundation reflects a world in motion. It brings together cultures, periods and disciplines and is housed in a state-of-the art depot where care, research and efficient management converge. Every object \u2014 whether an Egyptian textile fragment or a painting by Rubens \u2014 is monitored with the same attention to detail and commitment to sustainability.<\/p>\n

What began as a collection focused on Flemish Masters has grown into a broad and multifaceted whole. At its core lies the art of the Southern Netherlands from the fifteenth to the seventeenth century, featuring masterpieces by artists such as Quinten Metsys, Pieter Bruegel the Elder, Peter Paul Rubens, Anthony Van Dyck and Jacob Jordaens. The collection also illustrates how this artistic tradition continued to evolve: from the Symbolists and Expressionists including James Ensor, L\u00e9on Spilliaert and Edgard Tytgat, to the imaginative worlds of Ren\u00e9 Magritte, Paul Delvaux, Panamarenko and Jan Fabre.<\/p>\n

The gaze of The Phoebus Foundation extends beyond Flanders. Archaeological textiles from Egypt, colonial paintings from Latin America and twentieth-century port heritage testify to the interplay between people, trade, faith and imagination. Specialised subcollections on themes such as Reynaert the Fox, topography, fashion and lace further demonstrate how art and heritage can mirror one another.<\/p>\n

The collection is more than the sum of its parts. It forms a living whole that connects past and present \u2014 from a distant and nebulous past to the contemporary world, where even our T. rex Trinity finds its place alongside Hans Memling and Gustave Van de Woestyne.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n