Culture

Three Magritte paintings sold in New York

23 May 2024

The Banquet, a painting by Belgian surrealist master René Magritte was sold for the equivalent of €16,7 million in New York, along with two other ones.

Architecturally important outlier in the heart of Port of Antwerp

16 May 2024

The protected lock master's residence, built in 1908 in Flemish neo-Renaissance style, restored to its former glory

Bruges launches its fourth triennial

02 May 2024

Bruges is hosting a triennial for the fourth time this year, with contemporary art and architectural installations in all corners of the picturesque city.

13 hours of unreleased music by soul legend Marvin Gaye discovered in Ostend

25 April 2024

The legacy of world-renowned American soul singer Marvin Gaye, quietly cherished for decades by the Ostend-based Mestdagh family, is being opened up to the general public.

KMSKA now in colour for almost everyone

18 April 2024

Colour blindness is a genetic disorder affecting an estimated 4% of the population.

A country of legends and thrills

The constant contact with other peoples and cultures hasn't been without its effects in terms of art and culture, both in the past and the present day. A true crossroads of the major influences of art, Belgium has always been home to a large number of artists and frequently establishes itself as the place for innovation for new movements.

Belgium has preserved much evidence of the greatest architectural and artistic movements. The Middle Ages saw cathedrals and belfries spring up, monuments that still grace the Belgian cities of art. Countless châteaux pepper the countryside and Belgium is the country with the most châteaux per km². As for Brussels, in the 20th century, it became the capital of Art Nouveau. All this explains the country's incredible architectural wealth.

The splendid works of the old Flemish painters such as Peter Paul Rubens, Pieter Bruegel, Jan Van Eyck, Antoine Van Dyck, along with more recent artists like Paul Delvaux or René Magritte, are now exhibited in museums all over the world.

The ultimate hub for comics, Belgium is home to the largest concentration of comic book authors in the world. They continue the tradition of Hergé (Tintin), Peyo (Les Schtroumpfs), Edgar P. Jacobs (Blake et Mortimer), Morris (Lucky Luke), Bob De Moor (Barelli, Cori de scheepsjongen), Willy Vandersteen (Suske en Wiske) and many more!

Today, many Belgian talents are making a name for themselves. This is particularly the case on the international music scene with Angèle, Milow, Selah Sue and Hooverphonic. On the big screen, a new generation of directors and actors are frequently recognised with awards including the Palme d'Or at Cannes and the Oscars in Hollywood.

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