PRESS RELEASE Brussels, 17 September 2019 Bruegel still in the spotlight in 2019 Brussels and Bruegel are inextricably linked. A variety of original exhibitions and activities are on offer throughout the year to celebrate the 450th anniversary of the great Flemish master's death. This is the perfect occasion to (re)discover the monumental work of the greatest Flemish painter of the 16th century. Bruegel and Brussels Brussels and Bruegel are inextricably linked. The artist spent part of his life in Brussels and was also buried there. Several of his works are also on display in the capital's museums. Pieter Bruegel (+/-1525-1569) is widely regarded as the 16th century’s greatest Flemish painter. He is known for his landscapes and peasant scenes (so called genre painting). As early as the 16th century, the Habsburg, who were great collectors, recognised the exceptional quality and originality of Bruegel’s imagery and bought his works. The artist also owes his popularity to his incredible, often moralistic, compositions featuring large numbers of people. His works are captivating and invite spectators to reflect on their content and complexity. Paintings such as ’Netherlandish Proverbs’, ‘Children’s Games’, ‘Dull Gret' (also known as ‘Mad Meg'), ‘The Wedding Dance’ and ‘The Land of Cockaigne’ are famous all over the world. Bruegel moved to Brussels in 1563 to be closer to potential clients. He got married in the Chapel Church and settled in the Marolles district. In the 16th century, Brussels was one of the most important political centres in Europe. Charles V had one of his main residences in the Coudenberg Palace on the neighbouring Mont des Arts. Brussels was a real hub for artists and a new urban nobility. Brussels was a major source of inspiration for Bruegel; two thirds of his works were painted there. His most influential sponsors lived at the Mont des Arts, very close to his home. Today, it houses an important part of Bruegel’s work: after the Kunsthistorisches Museum (Art History Museum) in Vienna, the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium possesses the largest collection of paintings by Bruegel, and the Royal Library houses no fewer than 90 prints! All these treasures are on display in 2019. After his death, Bruegel was buried in the Chapel Church in the Marolles, where his epitaph can be found. Brussels felt a duty to devote a number of events to this world-famous artist to mark the 450th anniversary of his death. Since January 2019, several organisations have been organising guided visits based on Bruegel and all the sites linked to his history and his fascinating era. EXHIBITIONS Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium To mark the 450th anniversary of the death of Pieter Bruegel the Elder, the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium are organising a number of projects to celebrate the great Flemish master: The permanent collection: visitors can (re)discover the second largest permanent collection in the world of works by Pieter Bruegel the Elder in the Old Masters Museum. 'Bruegel Unseen Masterpieces' allows the public to discover the hidden secrets of the works of Pieter Bruegel the Elder. With a wide range of experiences accessible online and in situ, this original initiative allows visitors to immerse themselves in Bruegel's paintings, accessing both the finest details of each painting and the knowledge of experts. The Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium launched this event with the Google Cultural Institute, in view of the 450th anniversary of Bruegel's death, in 2019. This innovative project brings together prestigious international museums, most of them European, around the figure of Bruegel. It is the expression of in-depth deliberations on the changes underway in the field of museum studies in the digital era. Cultural and educational offer: • Cycle of conferences based around Bruegel the Elder • Visitor guide • Creative trail for children • Guided visits for all target groups (schools, cultural groups, families, vulnerable groups) • Workshops and internships Date: 2019-2020 More information: www.fine-arts-museum.be Red Cloister Art Centre BERNARD VAN ORLEY. RED CLOISTER AND THE SONIAN FOREST IN THE 16TH CENTURY The Art Centre puts the spotlight on Bernard van Orley, an artist inseparable from 16th century Brussels heritage and the creator of the cartoons for The Hunts of Maximilian tapestry. Their detailed representations of buildings, including Red Cloister, and hunting grounds are part of the richness of the decor, and the vegetation and flora are a direct testimony of what the Sonian Forest was once like. The exhibition also presents several previously unseen archaeological items from this historic site. Date: until 20/12/2019 More information: www.rouge-cloitre.be Palais de la Dynastie BEYOND BRUEGEL 'Beyond Bruegel' is an innovative artistic experience in which new technologies and classical works by Bruegel come together and raise the artistic experience to a higher level. In the first part of the exhibition, a multimedia installation immerses visitors in the painter's life and work. An animated 360-degree projection then takes visitors into the imaginary world of the master. They can admire and even walk through his works; visitors find themselves in the heart of Dull Gret's army, on a ship at the foot of the Tower of Babel and more. Figures from Bruegel's work come to life and enter visitors' imagination. Date: until 31/01/2020 More information: https://beyondbruegel.be Atomium BRUEGEL. A POETIC EXPERIENCE From 19 September 2019, to mark the 450th anniversary of the death of Pieter Bruegel the Elder, the Atomium presents an immersive, interactive exhibition on the famous Renaissance painter. Large reproductions of Bruegel's works plunge visitors into the heart of his world. The 'Bruegel, A Poetic Experience' exhibition presents both known and unexpected facets of his work and personality. Dates: 19 September 2019 to 20 September 2020 More information: www.atomium.be Royal Library of Belgium BRUEGEL IN BLACK AND WHITE The Royal Library owns a complete and unrivalled collection of Bruegel's work "on paper" (90 graphic works) and is preparing to take them out of its warehouse for a very special exhibition to mark this Bruegel year. The 'Bruegel in Black and White' exhibition promises to be a unique experience. The exhibition will take place at the Palace of Charles of Lorraine, one of the rare 18th century jewels in Brussels. Dates: 15/10/2019 to 16/02/2020 More information: www.kbr.be Halle Gate BACK TO BRUEGEL – EXPERIENCE THE 16TH CENTURY The legendary Halle Gate, a remnant of the mediaeval Brussels city wall, is opening up to the world of the painter Bruegel. Take a surprising leap into a virtual reality version of his internationally famous paintings. Four works by the master come to life and, just for a moment, immerse visitors in the day-to-day life of the time. This is a journey into the heart of the 16th century, with authentic treasures from the New World, arms and armour, musical instruments and other works from the Royal Museums of Art and History. At the top of the building, enjoy the magnificent panoramic views of Brussels and use the virtual telescopes to be transported back to the time of Bruegel. Dates: 18/10/2019 to 18/10/2020 More information: http://www.kmkg-mrah.be/expositions/back-bruegel Mini-Europe BRUEGEL ON THE GRAND PLACE On the (miniature) Grand Place in Brussels, visitors meet the painter Pieter Bruegel the Elder, who is working on one of his masterpieces, "The Fall of the Rebel Angels", a work in which the Archangel Michael is fighting six monsters. Date: until 31/12/2019 More information: www.minieurope.eu EVENTS The Chapel Church FLEMISH MASTER IN SITU The church is in the district where Bruegel lived and where his epitaph can be found. A copy of a work by Rubens adorns the epitaph. For this occasion, additional information and a video offer more information about the location, Bruegel and Rubens. Date: until 30/09/2019 More information: www.vlaamsemeestersinsitu.be BRUEGEL. THE GREAT ESCAPE The works of Pieter Bruegel the Elder have never been so alive. Ten characters have escaped from the Flemish master's paintings, 450 years after his death and have come together to pay tribute to the man who painted them. Date: until the end of 2019 More information: www.flemishmasters.be Bruegel Cultural Centre - The Dance of the Rebel Angels The Dance of the Rebel Angels will lead visitors through the Marolles, following in the footsteps of Pieter Bruegel. To mark the 450th anniversary of the Master's death, the company No Way Back, together with a Congolese delegation from the Goma Dance Festival and key dancers from the Royal Flemish Theatre (KVS), will give a new "urban" life to the painter's works, remastered by the Farm Prod collective. In a combination of tradition and modernity, visitors will meet angels who will encourage them to join in the dance and become an integral part of the living painting! Dates: - Friday 20 September from 7pm to 9pm - Saturday 21 September from 2pm to 7pm - Sunday 22 September from 2pm to 6pm More information: www.detoursfestival.be GUIDED VISITS Bruegel City Run (FR, NL or EN) In the city centre, find out Bruegel's legacy while running at your own pace. Date: throughout 2019 More information: www.cityruns.net Bruegel and his Marolles Come on this walking journey and discover the Marolles of the 16th century... and more specifically the protagonist of our artistic culture: Bruegel. Pieter Bruegel, who then lived in Antwerp, fell in love with the daughter of his master, Pieter Coecke van Aelst.