Date: 27.11.2021 - 27.02.2022
Temporary exhibition
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Looking back at the past is nothing new. History was just as popular in the nineteenth century as it is today. It was the century when new nations were born and others took a more prominent role on the international stage. The Romantic Era saw a renewed interest in the Dukes of Burgundy, from Philip the Bold to the celebrated Emperor Charles.
This returned the 15th and 16th century Burgundian rulers to prominence in countries across Europe. Presented as the forefathers of the Low Countries, they appeared in paintings, literature and sculpture. Yet, their portrayal varies greatly from one country to another. What do these images tell us about 19th-century views of the past? Or about the way we look at our history today?
A Lavish Past recreates a 19th-century salon and explores how artists responded to a celebrated historical legacy.
Programme
Catalogue
The exhibition is accompanied by a catalogue published in Dutch and French editions by Snoeck. Alongside an extensive selection of images, it includes essays by Élodie Lecuppre Desjardi, Eveline Denee, Jan Dirk Baeten, Patrick De Rynck and curator Bart Stroobants.
Touring Exhibition
A Lavish Past is a collaboration between Museum Hof van Busleyden and the Monastère royal de Brou in Bourg-en-Bresse (France), where the exhibition can be seen in the spring of 2022.
Audio Story
Rather than a traditional audio guide, A Lavish Past featured a humorous audio story. Created in collaboration with Het Geluidshuis, it invites listeners into conversations between an art dealer, an art critic and an artist during the set-up of a 19th-century art salon.
Transformation
The underground exhibition space at Museum Hof van Busleyden is being converted into a monumental 19th-century museum. With four separate galleries, a central corridor and an alcove, the space has been transformed beyond recognition.
Curator Talks
In the digital curator talk, curator Bart Stroobants and registrar Sofie Polfliet guide viewers through the exhibition, gallery by gallery. Using selected works, they discuss how differently the Dukes of Burgundy were portrayed, depending on when and where each work was created.
Quiet Visit
The museum tests the Quiet Visit for the first time during A Lavish Past. A group from the Support Centre for People with Autism visits the exhibition during a quieter period. Their feedback helps shape the museum's monthly low-stimulus visiting sessions.
Winter Workshops and Schools Programme
During the exhibition, there are several sessions of the Museum in Children's Hands winter workshop. For schools, there is an interactive tour for 2nd and 3rd years from secondary school. Pupils explore the museum through a series of hands-on activities.
Soirée MuzE
A special Soirée MuzE lecture series accompanies the exhibition. Four lectures by Anton van der Lem, Adelheid Ceulemans, Kurt Morissens and Sofie Polfliet take place in nearby Predikheren.
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