The exhibition ‘Truly Evil: The Seven Deadly Sins in Images’ at the Bonnefantenmuseum in Maastricht takes us into the world of pride, sloth, gluttony, envy, anger, lust and avarice. The comprehensive exhibition, which can be seen from 19 October 2024, offers a unique insight into the moral and artistic depictions from the period from 1480 to 1620 and places them in the context of our present day. The focus is on the question: What is good and what is evil?
Image above: Pieter van der Heyden after Pieter Bruegel I, Wellust / Luxuria, 1558 engraving, 226 x 295 mm, Foto: Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
The museum presents Bruegel’s print series ‘The Seven Deadly Sins’ in the context of its predecessors and contemporary works. The depictions of the deadly sins were created in an uncertain, confused and turbulent time that is very similar to today. The exhibition explores the parallels between Bruegel’s troubled times and our own, which are characterised by climate crises, epidemics and religious extremism. From #metoo to climate issues and from Christian traditions to Buddhist ideology. During this reflection, visitors are invited to confess their sins and define mortal sins.
In the 16th century, sins were depicted more intensely and in more variety than ever before – from imposing personifications to behavioural patterns that are still recognisable today. At the centre of the exhibition is the famous graphic series ‘The Seven Deadly Sins’ by Pieter Bruegel the Elder from 1558. With loans from the Netherlands and other countries, the show demonstrates the creative visualisation of evil in the 16th century and at the same time offers inspiration and orientation for dealing with today’s sins. The exhibition is not only a historical reflection, but also an invitation to reflect on the timeless nature of human temptations and inner conflicts that exist then as now.
The depictions of the deadly sins were created in an uncertain, confusing and turbulent time – a time that is remarkably similar to our own. Bruegel’s era was characterised by extreme climatic conditions with very cold winters and harsh summers, epidemics and violent outbreaks of religious extremism. The exhibition explores these parallels and places the seven deadly sins in a contemporary context. On an audio tour, seven speakers, including actor and word magician Ramsey Nasr and singer-songwriter Froukje, reflect on the role of the deadly sins in today’s world. From #metoo to climate issues and from Christian traditions to Buddhist ideology. During this reflection, visitors are invited to confess their own sins and define deadly sins. With paintings, prints, drawings and illuminated manuscripts, books and even stained glass, the exhibition focuses on the depiction of sin in the Netherlands and the present-day Dutch-German border region. The Bonnefantenmuseum places the renowned series of prints based on Bruegel’s ‘The Seven Deadly Sins’ in context with its predecessors and sources of inspiration and presents works by contemporaries and successors that depict the same themes. This includes art that was accessible and affordable at the time thanks to newly emerging printing techniques as well as valuable collector’s items.
Unique loans from the Netherlands and other countries
This exhibition was made possible by generous loans of over 80 works of art from more than 20 national and international collections, including the Germanisches Nationalmuseum in Nuremberg, the Phoebus Foundation in Antwerp, the Musée du Louvre in Paris, the Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen, the Breslau Foundation in New York and the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.
Thanks to these loans, the Bonnefantenmuseum presents a surprising variety of international masterpieces and never-before-exhibited popular consumer art.
The solo exhibition ‘This is not the end of the road’ by Polish artist Małgorzata Mirga-Tas, who is recognised as an important voice of the Roma community thanks to her success at the Venice Biennale 2022, among other things, will also be on display at the same time. The exhibition, which can be seen until 16 February 2025, shows new works that address the role of women in their community, as well as her celebrated series ‘Re-enchanting the World’.
WHEN?
Exhibition dates: Saturday, 19 October 2024 – Sunday, 12 January 2024
WHERE?
Bonnefanten Museum
Avenue Ceramique 250
6221 KX Maastricht
Netherlands
