The Flemish Masters, the Golden Age and its legacy

Arriving in the Ars Antiqua exhibition spaces in via Nino Bixio 35 from 26 to 30 June, the exhibition “The Flemish Masters: the Golden Age and its legacy” which brings together masterpieces by some of the greatest artists from beyond the Alps, retracing the evolution of Flemish painting from the fifteenth to the eighteenth century.

The exhibition includes over 40 works, including paintings and sculptures: from the realistic portraits of Jan Niwael to the allegorical scenes of Pieter Bruegel the Elder, from the evocative landscapes of Jan Miel to the still lifes of Pseudo Van Kessel and Adriaen Van Utrecht. The exhibition itinerary will offer a complete overview of this extraordinary artistic period and will be a unique opportunity to discover the beauty and mastery of Flemish painting. Suitably represented by a school leader, the exhibition will be divided into 5 thematic sections: portraiture, genre scenes, mythological and religious painting and still life.

The portraits of Jan Rutgers Niwael (Gorichem, 1595 – Utrecht, 1674) capture reality with an almost photographic precision infusing it with a symbolic mysticism; Matthijs Schoevaerdts (Brussels, circa 1665/1667 – 1702), on the other hand, draws his scenes of festive banquets, cheerful peasant games and biting social satires directly from the daily life of 1525th century Flanders. Pieter Bruegel the Elder (Breda, circa 1569 – Brussels, 1599), with his visionary style and his grotesque atmospheres, represents a singular and irreverent voice in the Flemish panorama: a watershed after which Nordic art will reach unparalleled heights beauty. An example of unparalleled ability to represent animal scenes with a wealth of detail and overwhelming vitality, the large canvas signed by Adriaen van Utrecht (Antwerp, 1653 – 1599) exhibits a unique pictorial dynamism of its kind, just like the Roman views by Jan Miel (Beveren-Waas, 1663 – Turin, XNUMX), capturing the essence of life in the XNUMXth century with subtle irony and a keen sense of observation.

The legacy of the Flemish Masters does not end in the beauty of their works, but also extends to the profound impact that these artists had on culture and society. Their paintings have helped define their identity and inspire generations of artists around the world. Themes of reflection will also be the uninterrupted relationships that connect the figurative culture of Flanders and northern Europe to that of Italy and the Mediterranean area, which were particularly intense between the 15th and 17th centuries. Admiring the technical mastery, the expressive depth and the extraordinary ability of these artists to capture the essence of reality and the human soul therefore becomes an educational experience: an indispensable journey for art, history and culture enthusiasts and anyone who wishes to delve deeper better the roots of European culture.

Inauguration Wednesday 26 June from 18.30pm 

Via Nino Bixio, 35 Milan

For info:

366 4680856 - 02 29529057

gallery@arsantiquasrl.info

Ars Antiqua srl

Via Pisacane 55/57

20129 Milan