A new look at Constant Permeke

Although the work of Belgian artist Constant Permeke (1886–1952) is generally classified as Expressionism, he explored a multitude of registers. From the very beginning of his career, Permeke gained widespread international recognition with recurring subjects such as domestic scenes and people engaged in everyday activities. His landscapes and seascapes exude a hushed, sometimes sublime warmth.

For Permeke, art and life were closely linked. His oeuvre shimmers...

The little-known story of Margaret of Parma, governor, art lover and Italian society figure

Daughter of Charles V, Governor of the Netherlands, a society figure in Italy and a passionate art lover and patron: Margaret of Parma (1522–1586) is a fascinating figure who for a long time was neglected by historians. This richly illustrated publication rehabilitates a woman who played a key role in the Habsburg Netherlands and the turbulent sixteenth century.

Who was Margaret of Parma, as a person...

The official book marking the centenary of the Rietveld Schröder House tells the story of two lovers and radical innovators in modern architecture: Truus Schröder and Gerrit Rietveld

"The idea of living in the house like this essentially came from me."

— Truus Schröder

Rietveld Schröder House: A Biography of the House tells the story of the iconic house and its creators, Truus Schröder (1889–1985) and Gerrit Rietveld (1888–1964). The construction of the house, the designs by ‘Sch...

Discover the dynamic connection between art history and social media

How are the Holy Trinity and social media related? Why do we love colour filters so much? What makes hashtags so powerful? And why do we experience digital images so differently from their analogue counterparts?

In Instagrammable – What Art Tells Us About Social Media, Koenraad Jonckheere delves into the surprising similarities between 2,500 years of European art history and our modern image culture on social media. He rev...

Meet the work of the one and only Belgian futurist

Recent years have seen revived interest in Jules Schmalzigaug (1882–1917). The only Belgian representative of Futurism deserves his place in the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp, which holds the world’s largest collection of his work. A talented pioneer of the international avant-garde, he also loved the work of Peter Paul Rubens and James Ensor, two other masters whose work is featured in the museum’s collection. Schmalzigaug experime...

Discover the Enchanting Garden of Rubens

The garden of the Rubenshuis is a hidden gem in the heart of Antwerp. This is where the world-famous artist lived and relaxed with his family and entourage. Here Rubens chatted with Isabella and later with Helena. This is also where he welcomed his guests and where his children played, enveloped in the potent fragrance of orange and lime trees.

Thanks to the colour consultancy of fashion designer Dries Van Noten, visitors can now enjoy 365 days of colo...

– Antonio Muñoz Molina, El País

"This wonderful and wise book made me look at the artwork without intimidation or any confusion. It is a great pleasure to be guided by the experienced eye of Alejandro Vergara."

— Olga Tokarczuk, winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature

Throughout history, human beings have excelled at creating art of the highest quality. Aristotle wrote that Homer “surpassed all others” while Pliny the Elder referred to “masterpieces that we never tire of admiring�...

A fascinating immersion into the cartography and history of the Low Countries

An old map does not only represent a geographical situation; it also embodies a veritable journey of discovery through world history. In this book, historian Anne-Rieke van Schaik immerses herself in the many stories behind the fascinating maps, prints, atlases, globes and instruments belonging to the Phoebus Foundation’s collection. These objects testify to glorious moments and dark interludes in the history of t...