Bruges Hotels Guide: The Groeninge Museum

The Groeninge Museum is the principle art museum of Bruges and it originates from the beginning of the 18th century, though it is housed in a more modern building.

The museum's collection spans several centuries (from the 14th to the 20th century) and focuses primarily on works by painters who lived and worked in Bruges.

Of particular note are two pieces by Jan Van Eyck, who was the first and most famous of the so called 'Flemish Primitives'. 'The Madonna with Canon Joris van der Paele', (painted 1436) - note the fine detail of the clothing which make it one of the true treasures of early Flemish medieval painting.

The second major work by Van Eyck is the portrait of his wife 'Margareta Van Eyck'.

Also look out for some other Flemish masters from the 15th century such as: 'Death of the Holy Virgin' by Hugo van der Goes, 'The altar of Saint Christopher' by Hans Memling, 'The Justice of King Cambyses' and 'The baptism of Christ' by Gerard David.

The name 'Flemish Primitives' refers to the painting school and the painting style of the Southern Netherlands in the 15th century though the name was not coined until the 19th century. The word 'Primitives' does not derive from any primitive style, but that simply these artists were the first ( primus in Latin) to use new painting styles and techniques, which revolutionized art in the late Middle-Ages.

There is also a substantial body devoted to Renaissance and Baroque paintings by artists such as Jan Provoost, Lanceloot Blondeel, Adriaan Isenbrant and Pieter Pourbus.

Therte are also paintings from other areas such as Brabant and Antwerp ( Jan van Hemesssen, Cornelis van Cleve, Adriaan Key, the workshop of Pieter Bruegel).

For some 17th century baroque art, see the works of Jacob van Oost the elder and for examples of 18th century rococo art see Jan Antoon Garremijn.

The 19th century is represented by a selection of works by Bruges artists influenced by the classic style of the end of the 18th, beginning of the 19th century. (Joseph Suvée, Jozef Ducq, Jozef Odevaere and Albert Gregorius)

The museum also houses the Herbert collection with a set of Flemish expressionist paintings from the school of Sint-Martens-Latem with works by Georges Minne, Albert Servaes, Gustave van de Woestijne, Constant Permeke, Gustave De Smet, and Frits van den Berghe.

To round off a visit, there is a section devoted to modern art from the period after the second world war.

Address:
Dijver 12
8000 Brugge

The museum is open every day from 9.30h till 17.00h except Mondays (other than Easter Monday and Whit Monday), T New Year's Day, Ascension day (in the afternoon) and Christmas Day.