Reubens - The Master Comes to Town...

Place Royale (Royal Square) is the most sought after location in Brussels by those who want a touch of the culture of Belgium. This location is the central part of the Royal Palace of Brussels.

The gigantic, columned buildings speak volumes of the position of the royalty in Belgian history. Besides the royal buildings, there are churches, vast greenery and the supreme court, all located close to the Place Royal.

Most of the buildings that formed the royal complex are now museums or office buildings. The square is usually teeming with people moving in an out of offices or camera-toting tourists.

This year is called 'the Year of Europe in Brussels' in commemoration of the establishment of the European Union headquartered in this city. There are numerous shows and exhibitions in Brussels to celebrate this momentous occasion.

The Royal Museum of Fine Arts of Brussels brought together a wonderful collection of paintings by the dutch master Reubens. The museum already had about fifty paintings done by Reubens or by his studio in Antwerp. In addition, other works by the master were brought from celebrated museums around the world like the Louvre (Paris), the Prado (Madrid) and the Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York).

I took a course in art history during my school days. This gave me a slight overview of the painting styles of artists around the world.

I couldn't resist this chance to discover Reubens' artistic genius on the basis of nearly one hundred and twenty works. It was a rare opportunity to experience all that I heard and learned about this dutch painter.

Most of Reubens' paintings were commissioned by churches or monasteries. Therefore, many had biblical themes and subjects. He is also known for decorating the ceiling of Antwerp cathedral.
Some of his paintings depict greek mythical characters. One of the works on display was a huge tapestry (or wall hanging) portraying the triumph of the catholic faith.

Reubens' paintings feature full-figured, voluptuous women. This style, called 'Reubenesque', shows plump (but not fat) figures in a graceful pose.

The visitors can examine the life sized portraits and paintings and hear commentaries using the audio guide. They are also given leaflets explaining the significant works on display.

I loved being at this exhibition because this gave me an opportunity to enjoy the mastery of Reubens. I felt so lucky to be able to see world renowned paintings done by a genius that I had only known through texts and prints so far.