Antwerp was a particularly popular port of emigration among Jews from Central and Eastern Europe. These people constituted a sizeable proportion of the Red Star Line’s passengers. The shipping company recruited its “customers” from deep within Eastern Europe.
The expo featured loans from the Royal Yacht Club of Belgium and private collectors. A detailed Antwerp roadsted view and ship models attributed to Robert Mols, were the eye-catchers from the MAS collection.
The Saulus tableau depicts a Biblical scene: on his way from Jerusalem to Damascus, the Roman Saul, persecuting Christians, is blinded by a lightning bolt and thrown from his horse. This tile tableau of over 1 by 2 metres has 98 tiles in majolica, colourful and glazed earthenware.
CLOSED - Celebrating its 10th anniversary, the MAS presented a colourful, special exhibition with exciting and moving stories about greedy giants, turbulent loves, demons and heroes. Stories from Antwerp and stories from afar.
Thousands of unique images from photographer Raoul Van Den Boom show the artistic and social life in Antwerp between 1950 and 1980. Some photographs from the immense collection are now on display, some others can be viewed digitally.
The MAS collection comprises approximately 2,400 objects related to the poesjenelle tradition, originating from the former Folklore Museum: rod puppets, stage props, signs, theatre programmes and photographs. We also have rod puppets from other theatre traditions and a number of hand puppets.
The MAS focuses on a piece of city history from the Second World War. In the pavilion, you can see where V-bombs fell on Antwerp and the scars they have left behind, by means of photographs, first-person testimonies and maps. You can even see a real V1-bomb from the MAS collection.
Would you like to exhibit works from the MAS collection, or do you possess unique objects that would enrich the collection? We’d love to hear from you.
Many museums in Belgium and abroad are eager to borrow works from the MAS. You may come across pieces from the MAS collection at exhibitions all over the world.
