Saints, Sinners, Lovers, and Fools 300 Years of Flemish Masterworks

Jan Massijs, Rebus: The World Feeds Many Fools, ca. 1530, The Phoebus Foundation, Antwerp. Image © The Phoebus Foundation, Antwerp

Organized by the Denver Art Museum in collaboration with The Phoebus Foundation, Saints and Sinners explores the artistic styles and subjects that flourished between the 1400s and 1600s in Flanders—better known today as the Southern Netherlands. Flanders was home to revolutionary artists, including Hans Memling, Jan Gossaert, Peter Paul Rubens, Jacob Jordaens, and Anthony van Dyck, who found new ways to depict reality, portray humanity, and tell stories that continue to resonate with viewers today. Featuring roughly 130 extraordinary works of art in a variety of media, from paintings to manuscripts, this exhibition presents objects that open a doorway into the past, telling the story of enterprising townspeople, prosperous cities, and an ever-developing society. They also detail stories about dreams and ambitions, fears and desires, and what it means to be human.