DK Travel : Brussels, Bruges, Antwerp and Ghent : Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts

Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts

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Brussels’ “Royal Museums of the Fine Arts” are a tour de force . Many of the greatest names in art history are represented here – remarkably, they are predominantly home-grown. The museums are divided into two closely integrated parts, the Musée d’Art Ancien (15th to 18th centuries) and the Musée d’Art Moderne (19th to 20th centuries), between which you can move freely. Together they offer a particularly satisfying selection of works, which is enhanced further through an exciting programme of temporary shows.
For more about the most famous Belgian artists For more on the Belgian Symbolists

Top 10 Works

1. The Justice of Othon

This snapshot of brutal medieval life painted by Dirk Bouts (c.1420–75) in 1471–73, is a tale told in two panels – a kind of early comic strip. With brilliant clarity and detail, it depicts how Emperor Othon (Otto II) was fooled by his wife into beheading an innocent man for adultery.
2. Lamentation

Rogier van der Weyden was known for the disturbing emotional charge of his work, as in this painting of c.1420– 50 of the crucified Christ in his mother’s arms.
3. The Fall of Icarus

This work of 1567 by Pieter Brueghel the Elder wryly upstages the drama with prettified normality.
4. The Martyrdom of St Livincus

At his best, Rubens created works of staggering dynamism, compelling the eye to move through the painting, and inspiring a sense of exhilaration and awe. The savagery of this depiction of cruel martyrdom also conveys the power of redemption.
5. The Death of Marat

The French revolutionary Marat was murdered in his bath by a female assassin. This portrait by Jacques-Louis David is strikingly realistic.
6. The Promenade

This marvellous Pointillist scene of 1901 by Théo van Rysselberghe shows four girls walking along a windy beach.
7. Skeletons Fighting over a Pickled Herring

There is no painting more expressive of the bizarre visual world and free-roaming imagination of James Ensor than this extraordinary little work of 1891.
8. Des Caresses/ L’Art/Les Caresses (The Sphinx)

This beautifully executed, strangely alluring work of 1898 by Fernand Khnopff is a celebrated classic of Symbolism, delving into the uncharted world of the imagination.
9. Woman in Blue before a Mirror

Rik Wouters’ charm lies in the domestic intimacy of his interiors. The brush-strokes are energetic, the colours Fauvist – yet they have a rare delicacy and balance. This painting of 1914 shows his mastery of composition and colour.
10. The Domain of Arnheim

René Magritte poses visual conundrums. In this painting of 1962, ambiguous feelings of threat and protection are suggested simultaneously.

Practical Information

The Museums have their own good cafeteria. Far more exciting, however, is Du Mim, on top of the nearby Musée des Instruments de Musique (see Musée des Instruments de Musique); and just a short walk away are the cafés of the Place du Grand Sablon, including the exquisite chocolatier Wittamer (see Wittamer). The 15th-, 16th- and 19th-century sections of the Museums close from noon–1pm; the 17th-, 18th- and 20th-century from 1–2pm – so plan accordingly. Rue de la Régence 3 02 508 32 11 www.fine-arts-museum.be Open 10am–5pm Tues–Sun Admission €5 (under 13s free). Free admission on 1st Wed of each month after 1pm