Stradanus, Court Artist of de Medici

Groeninge Museum, Bruges

October 9, 2008 through January 4, 2009

This exhibition at the Groeninge Museum is entirely devoted to Johannes Stradanus. This first ever retrospective shows the breadth and inventiveness of the artist’s oeuvre and includes paintings, drawings, tapestries and examples of applied art.

Johannes Stradanus (Jan van der Straet) was a drawer, painter and designer of fine prints and tapestries. He received his initial artistic training in his native city of Bruges. Most of his working life was spent in Italy, where he was strongly influenced by the Mannerists, such as Michelangelo. He was able to build a glittering career for himself in the studio of Giorgio Vasari, first as a designer of tapestries and later as a fresco painter. Thanks to the hundreds of prints manufactured to his designs, his name and work eventually became world famous.

In collaboration with the Bruges Concertgebouw (Concert Hall) a program of Florentine music from the second half of the 16th century will be compiled, with particular attention to music for the ceremonial processions with which Stradanus was closely associated.

The Groeninge Museum is open daily from 9.30 a.m. until 5 p.m., except on Mondays. The entrance fee is € 8.  Find more information on the Groeninge Museum and other exhibits taking place in the various museums of the city of Bruges here. Tickets for the Concert Hall are available from the website of the Concertgebouw.

© Groeninge Museum, Brugge