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Art Trip: Belgium

By | Ava

Known for its Renaissance architecture, medieval towns, and headquarters of the European Union and NATO; Belgium, a country in Western Europe, is known and familiar to all. Its capital, Brussels, not only serves as a low-tax alternative to Paris but is also remarkably famous for its artistic attractions and charming Art-Nouveau buildings.

The painting, gastronomy, glorious architecture, comic strips, street murals, and outdoor art of Belgium have been the key attractions for the tourists for many years, who come to this art hub to explore all kinds of conventional and unconventional artworks.

So without further ado, let’s explore some of the best museums and art galleries of this multilingual country and prepare our itineraries:

Royal Museums of Fine Arts

The Royal Museums of Fine Arts is an association of six art centers comprising of the Musée Old Masters Museum, the Musée Meunier Museum, the Musée Modern Museum, the Musée Magritte Museum, the Musée Wiertz Museum, and the new Musée Fin-de-Siècle Museum, transcending artworks between 15th to the 21st century.

The six museums collectively exhibit 20,000 works of art and each museum focuses on different eras. It even incorporates a brasserie, café, and a shop which makes it even more comfortable for the tourists to relax with snacks and books while they do the tiresome yet enthralling task of exploring the many structures.

Museums of the City of Brussels

Also known as the “Royal Museums of History and Art”, this museum is located in Grand Place and was inaugurated in 1887. Being housed in a Neo-Gothic style building called Maison du Roi (King’s House), it harbors more than 7,000 paintings, sculptures, porcelain figures, and artifacts with its main attraction being the original statue of Manneken Pis and his 600 outfits.

The main attraction of the museum is its building itself, which was built in 1536 and reconstructed in 1873 after it fell to ruins due to the French bombardments in 1695. In the late 20th century, it was also recognized as a national heritage site and must be delved into for that reason alone.

Belgian Comic Strip Center

Housed in an Art Nouveau building that was designed by none other than Victor Horta, The Belgian Comic Strip Center pays tribute to the ultimate and platonic love of the country for the comic strips, especially its own, Tintin and The Smurfs. The country is especially known to be the home of many influential comic artists as well.

The first part of the museum is designated to showcase the process behind the creation of comic books with the rest of the building displaying over 6,000 original comic strips along with the works of the legendary Hergé and many other comic inspirations. With the collection entailing genres such as politics, humor, satire, and erotica, this place is a go-to spot for children and adults alike.

WIELS Contemporary Art Center

Keeping up with the custom of Belgium, the WIELS Contemporary Art Center is located inside a former, renovated brewery. This three-floored structure exhibits many experimental and innovative arts accompanied by fresh and new international pieces that come in every year.

Most of its industrial architecture from the 1930s was preserved, accommodated with the animal replicas produced by Petrit Halilaj and pink balloons by Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama. Furthermore, the museum is also a refuge to the emerging new artists who reside in the nine working studios and unveil their works with pride and dignity.

Magritte Museum

The Magritte museum is dedicated to the artistic identity of Belgium and the master of surrealism, René Magritte. With 250 artworks of this brilliant painter distributed among many floors, this museum truly encapsulates the essence of surrealism and the references of the green apples, bowler hats, and his umbrellas.

With his pop art, Impressionism, and conceptual art, the museum also features his works from World War II, including his most well-known paintings, The Dominion of Light and The Domain of Arnheim. The audio guide (available in multiple languages,) containing Magritte’s saga in his own words along with the words of his closed ones, makes this museum even more inviting and captivating.

Conclusion

Belgium, with its political and artistic importance, is a country worth stepping in. However, there is another destination wherein you can enjoy a similar artistic experience without having to board a flight.

1st-art-gallery.com is the world’s largest supplier of Made-to-Order oil paintings, apart from being the center of replica art from different eras and by various artists, just waiting to reach your doorstep through the efforts of a click. So dive into the world of heritage and bring them home!

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