The oldest core of the collection is found in the Sint Lucasgilde [Saint Luke’s Guild], in which from 1382 the artists of Antwerp united. The painters’ or arts’ chamber was not only used for meetings and festivities, but the guild’s showpieces were kept there as well. In 1663, on the instigation of David Teniers an academy was founded in the bosom of the Sint Lucasgilde. When in 1773 the guilds were disbanded, the Academie voor Schone Kunsten [Academy of Fine Arts] was the owner of the works that were kept in the painters’ room: e.g. Abraham Grapheus by Cornelis de Vos, the Holy Family with the parrot by Peter Paul Rubens and three paintings by Jacob Jordaens. The next stage in the development of the museum was quite a paradox: it involved the removal of paintings from Antwerp churches, monasteries and other public buildings to France during the occupation of 1794 to 1796. In 1815, around 40 of the works were returned, including 26 paintings that ended up in the academy museum. These included various works by Rubens.
Museum: KMSKAStad: Antwerp
Land: België
Adres: Leopold De Waelplaats
Website: http://www.kmska.be