‘Saints,Sinners Lovers and Fools : 300 Years of Flemish Masterworks”Be Inspired By Them All at the Peabody Essex Museum

With variations of Auld Lang Syne melodically moving our holiday traditions from Christmas into the New Year the folk-lyric prompts us to remember not only what has been, but imagine what lies ahead. The centuries old minstrelsy is emotionally evocative. Vicariously, it opens the door to a new exhibit at the Peabody Essex Museum where guests can explore exquisite Renaissance and Baroque works created between the 15th and 17th centuries in the Southern Netherlands.

“Saints, Sinners, Lovers and Fools :300 Years of Flemish Masterworks”  is a breathtaking collection of art with the power to move visitors between vectors of psycho-social engagement. Appreciated in capsules-of-thought or in totality the composite draws on emotional connectivity that defies time and place.

Anthony van Dyck Southern Netherlands 1599-1644 “Mary, the Christ Child and Saint John the Baptist,” 1627-30.

While anchored in modern-day Salem exploring the origins of the Netherland’s spiritual and entrepreneurial ambitions, the translucence of the art in this exhibit reflects humanity’s essence. The lessons of Saints and Sinners transcend chronological restraint ~ they capture shades of the human condition.

An exception to the norm of denying women in the Southern Netherlands the opportunity to paint,  Michaelina Wautier,( 1604-1689) created “Everyone to His Taste” as a morality lesson on sharing 1630.

Divided into spheres of influence Saints,Sinners, Lovers and Fools includes tender images of Christianity, compositions of morality, sensuality, and playful allegories. The scholarship of this exhibit mirrors life not only of the aristocracy but of all folks.

Peter Paul Rubens Southern Netherlands 1577-1640 “A Sailor and a Woman Embracing” 1615-18. The ambiguity of this lusty and perhaps reluctant encounter is worthy of consideration

Anchoring the art to a psychological thesis, a mid-gallery windmill represents more than a Flanders landmark (Northern Belgium)  but a symbol of movement in thought. Although the collection is broad in scope, central to the exhibit is it’s commitment to creative excellence. Like the sound track that surrounds the installation, Saints and Sinners is saturated with remarkable detail. (STP “Shazammed’ the galleries atmospheric music and suggests downloading, *RUCKERS ME FECIT ANTVERPIA; Music for Antwerp harpsichords & virginal, 1560-1660 and SALVE ANTVERPIA  LA CACCIA by Patric Denecker to pre-game the exhibit’s vibe.)

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Now – May 4, 2025 Saints, Sinners, Lovers and Fools has the power to remind us the days of this year will be filled with the ordinary and extraordinary stuff of life.  There’s ample food for thought to inspire reflection on the human condition. With that we can gently contextualize humanity with a renewed appreciation for spirituality, decency, the permutations of love and of course the undeniable wisdom of a few belly laughs.

Quinten Metsijs Southern Netherlands, 1466-1530 “Keep your Mouth Shut” without knowing what prank this fool had planned the image includes a cautionary note ‘keep your mouth shut’  ( STP thinks ~some advice never ages!)