Forty-five historic paintings, some of which had not been seen for years, have been on show since Saturday in Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent and elsewhere, under the theme of “Flemish Masters in Situ”.
The exposition will showcase the masterpieces in 45 locations in the three cities along with small towns and villages throughout Flanders. It will be held for four months, during which the churches, cloisters, castles and city halls where the paintings are exposed will keep their doors open to the public.
The expo was inaugurated on Friday in Sint-Martinus of Alost Church, where the public was able to discover Paul Rubens’ famous masterpiece, “Christ appointing Saint Roch as patron saint of plague victims”.
The public will be able to see some works in their original environment, where they have been kept for centuries. Their history is presented, and touch screens enable viewers to understand how the Flemish masters took the location into account in their artistic approach.
At the site of each event, a “pilgrims’ book” allows visitors who wish to see all the masterpieces featured in the expo to do so.
The Brussels Times
