Memling in Flanders

Say Hey voor Musea Brugge

Hans Memling was a leading painter. As a figurehead of the Flemish Primitives, he and his contemporaries exerted an enormous influence on European painting. You will discover that legacy in Flanders. His home-town of Bruges tells the story of the master in full, while Antwerp and Brussels also do their bit.

St John's Hospital, Bruges

A second home for Memling

St John's Hospital, in the historic heart of Bruges, is a second home for Hans Memling. Here, you will discover no fewer than seven masterpieces by this Flemish Primitive. Four of them he painted specifically for this site. You can admire highlights such as the famous Ursula Shrine, Portrait of a Young Woman or Sibylla Sambetha and Triptych of John the Baptist and John the Evangelist in their natural habitat.

Closer to Memling Experience

The museum further expands the story of this Bruges man in its impressive attic. There, you step into another world. The Closer to Memling Experience brings Hans Memling's oeuvre to life with interactive tables, music and light. In turn, the accompanying city tour guides you through 15th-century Bruges, where Memling would have been at home. A geocache trail takes you past hidden treasures. Those who want more can dive even deeper into his universe via the Closer to Memling website. Through the latest imaging techniques, you will discover every little detail of Memling's masterpieces.

Sint-Janshospitaal apotheek (c) Jan Darthet (5)

Historic European square with a tall, pointed church tower under a clear blue sky. Tourists walk nearby, creating a lively, picturesque scene.

Visit Bruges - Jan Darthet

A person stands closely examining a triptych painting in a dimly lit gallery with blue lighting. Stained glass windows add a contemplative atmosphere.

Jan Darthet

Groeninge Museum, Bruges

The Groeninge Museum, just a stone's throw from St John's Hospital, also keeps its gaze firmly fixed on Memling. You will discover six centuries of Belgian visual art, with a special focus on the Flemish Primitives. And that's when Hans Memling comes into the picture. The museum provides a wonderful insight into his work. You will discover masterpieces such as Saint Christopher with the Infant Christ, Willem Moreel with his sons and patron saint and the monumental Moreel Triptych. In these masterpieces, you will discover Memling's exceptional attention to detail and human emotion.

A triptych painting depicts a central figure in red and blue, holding a staff and a child, flanked by monks and people praying. Gothic buildings and landscapes are in the background, conveying a serene, religious tone.

Groeningemuseum Bruges

Royal Museums of Fine Arts Brussels (RMFAB)

Hans Memling is primarily associated with his home-town of Bruges, but also had a huge impact outside this location. Between 1455 and 1460, he may have refined his skills in the studio of teacher Rogier van der Weyden in Brussels. The stylistic similarities between the two masters are striking. Today you can still find traces of his genius in the capital. Admire some of his works at the Royal Museums of Fine Arts in Brussels(RMFAB). The painting Mary with Child is a fine example of his refined and serene style. His Portrait of a Man, in turn, highlights another talent. Many of Memling's patrons were charmed by his portraits, so the demand for such canvases was also high.

Workshop Flemish Masters - KMSKB, Brussels - January 29, 2018 26

Grand hall with ornate arches and marble columns, featuring a skylit ceiling. A plush gray sofa with a draped cloth sits in the foreground.

Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp

Fans of the Flemish Primitives can also visit the Royal Museum of Fine Arts in Antwerp(KMSKA) for a dose of Memling. This high-profile temple of art immerses you in numerous Flemish Masters over the centuries. And this Flemish Primitive should not be missed. In addition to the portrait of Bernardo Bembo, discover the impressive God the father with the singing angels.

Memling, Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten Antwerpen Musea Brugge © www.lukasweb.be - Art in Flanders vzw, foto's Hugo Maertens en Rik Klein Gotink

A regal figure with a crown holds a scepter and orb, surrounded by six angels singing from hymn books. The scene conveys a sacred, reverent atmosphere.

www.lukasweb.be - Art in Flanders vzw, foto's Hugo Maertens en Rik Klein Gotink

Hans Memling was and still is a figurehead of the Flemish Primitives. His impressive body of work has earned him a place in the pantheon of Flemish Masters. You will discover his masterpieces in his home-town of Bruges, as well as in Brussels and Antwerp.