Saints, Sinners, Lovers and Fools
Discover The Phoebus Foundation’s world-class collection of early modern Flemish art which will transport you to the Southern Netherlands during a dynamic period of social, scientific, economic and artistic development (1400-1700).
A selection of masterworks
Organized by the Denver Art Museum and The Phoebus Foundation of Antwerp, Belgium, this major exhibition presents masterworks by celebrated artists of the day – Hans Memling, Peter Paul Rubens, Anthony van Dyck, Jacob Jordaens and Michaelina Wautier, among many others – and highlights how their timeless, captivating themes continue to connect with audiences today.
The exhibition begins with religious art of the 15th and early 16th centuries. Artworks packed with symbolism and delightful details give visitors an appreciation of how Flemish citizens used images to interact with higher powers, build community and secure their legacy. Following this section is a group of paintings depicting fools and foolish behaviour that showcase how artists used humour to both moralize and entertain.
Artistic and scientific innovations
Moving into the 17th century, subsequent sections highlight Flanders’ significance as a cosmopolitan centre of commerce and innovation, both scientific and artistic. Navigation tools and maps join masterworks by Rubens and Van Dyck, international celebrities whose dramatic painterly styles spoke to the heightened emotions of a society plagued by war and political instability.
Marvellous collections
The exhibition ends in an immersive space inspired by the Kunstkammern, elite collections of art found in the homes of the middle and upper class during this era. Often depicted in period paintings, examples of which are on display, such spaces prefigure the modern museum and invite us to consider the range of desires – to connect, to marvel, to possess – that led to their inception.
Audiences will leave the exhibition with a rich understanding of the local and global contexts of Flemish art, an appreciation for its timeless themes and a critical awareness of this period’s integral role in shaping the world we live in. The Montreal presentation is complemented by selections from the MMFA’s renowned collection of Flemish art.
Credits and curatorial team
An exhibition co-organized by the Denver Art Museum and The Phoebus Foundation, Antwerp, Belgium, in collaboration with the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.
The exhibition is curated by Dr. Katharina Van Cauteren, Chief of Staff of The Phoebus Foundation Chancellery. The Montreal presentation is curated by Chloé M. Pelletier, Curator of European Art (before 1800) at the MMFA.