Intermezzo

There are some 25,000 objects in the Bonnefanten collection. We can only show a very small part of them on display. That is actually a shame.

For this small presentation, several works of art have been taken from the depot: pieces that are rarely shown, but which actually deserve to be shown. These are works that do not always fit in with current exhibitions, for instance because they stand somewhat on their own or are less in keeping with the rest of the collection. Some have never been exhibited in the museum, or have not been for a long time. That is precisely why this selection feels like a rediscovery - and all of them are objects of high museum quality.

Hidden pearls from the collection

Among the depot pieces are paintings by James Ensor and Carel Willink, works often on loan to museums at home and abroad. The selection consists mainly of art from the first half of the 20th century: a period that usually receives less attention on this floor. In this presentation, the works have been brought together in an associative manner. Together, they show how rich, surprising and versatile the Bonnefanten 's collection actually is.