Art Dialogs in the Collection of the Academy of Fine Arts

The collection of the Academy of Fine Arts offers us an unprecedented opportunity to see the canvases of many great artists, such as Bosch, Botticelli, Rubens, and van Dyck.  However, you could also visit the gallery to figure out why these paintings served as the gold standard for artists of future generations.

We will begin our tour with the most valuable exhibit of the collection, The Last Judgment by Hieronymus Bosch. A modern viewer would be impressed by the artist’s imagination rather than horrified by the depiction of hell. It is inhabited by half-snakes and half-eggs chimaeras and filled with the fear of wars and epidemics. The painting also reflects Bosch’s personal disappointments.

I suggest that we take a closer look at the details of this masterpiece since it will allow you to notice a few complicated narratives. For example, you might see how the established definition of sinfulness put bounds on Western culture. We will get familiar with certain concepts, theological principles, and the theory of evolution to grasp it better. 

The Rape of Orithyia by Peter Rubens will serve as an example of art aimed at sensual satisfaction whose functionality lies in decorating the interior. For a long time, the ability to unfold a complex narrative through pictorial art has been considered to be the most valuable skill of an artist. This is why the gallery contains so many vivid examples of “stories”, such as canvases devoted to biblical and antique narratives, for example, The Death of Germanicus by Heinrich Füger or The Suicide of Cato by Angelo Caroselli.

Together, we will try to understand the ideas behind these artworks and whether they are still relevant today.