Photographs show the people involved and the circumstances surrounding their emigration. Consequently, photography is an important source of information for the story of the Red Star Line.
The nine contemplations on the impurity of the human body depicts how finite the human body is. Japanese monks used such series as an aid to their meditation.
The freeing of the Scheldt was a landmark event in Flemish history. In mid-1863, Antwerp celebrated that after more than 250 years, merchant shipping on the Scheldt was truly free again. A telling painting of this ‘Scheldt Free!’ celebration from the MAS collection can be seen in our Visible Storage.
What is valuable must be protected. That is the logic of the Flemish Masterpieces Decree. Since the creation of this decree in 2003, just about 1,000 objects and collections have been recognised and protected as masterpieces. Through decree, the government also strengthens public collections by acquiring important masterpieces.
Napoleon's visit to Antwerp in 1803 was a high point for the city on the Scheldt. Joséphine de Beauharnais, Napoleon's wife, ordered a painting to immortalise the entry. This is a preliminary sketch for that.
Abram Spiwak decided to follow his beloved Sophie to America. He did not have valid papers, but he tried his luck with the financial support of his family.
The ancient glass collection is one of the hidden gems at the MAS. It's part of a valuable glass collection numbering nearly 700 objects. For the first time the subcollection of ancient glass is published in a comprehensive catalogue.
An object leaves on a trip to another museum, another undergoes research. Or a special piece is recognised as a Flemish Masterpiece. Or our collection expands.
