Collection Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, Gift of P.C. van Kerckhoff, The Hague. Photo Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
Pieter van der Heyden after Pieter Bruegel I, Lust / Luxuria, 1558, engraving, 226 x 295 mm
Maastricht, Bonnefanten Museum: »Truly wicked: The Seven Deadly Sins visualised«
»... be the first to throw a stone at her«: Pictorial representations of the deadly sins
How were deadly sins depicted 500 years ago? What would be »deadly sins« today? The unique exhibition Truly wicked: The Seven Deadly Sins visualised with over 80 works of art from the 16th century moves between these two questions. It can be seen from October 19 at the Bonnefanten Museum in Maastricht.
October 18, 2024
Lust weakens the strength and softens the body: Pieter Bruegel the Elder's warning message under his depiction of lust reveals exciting insights into 16th century Europe. What moral concepts applied, how did one lead a life pleasing to God? Even if the list of deadly sins (pride, sloth, gluttony, envy, wrath, lust, greed) may seem ridiculous from today's perspective, they nevertheless contain profound truths about human nature, inner conflicts and ideals about interpersonal behavior and a functioning society. With the exhibition Truly wicked: The Seven Deadly Sins visualised, the Bonnefanten Museum in Maastricht holds up a mirror to us by incorporating the deadly sins into current contexts. In which direction is our society developing, what would be »deadly sins« in this day and age? The exhibition with over 80 works of art can be seen from October 19, 2024 to January 12, 2025.
The exhibition focuses on the famous series of prints The Seven Deadly Sins by Pieter Bruegel the Elder (ca. 1525-1569) from 1558, shown in a version by Pieter van der Heyden (ca. 1530-after 1572). Other exhibits include works by Peter Dell the Elder (1490-1552), Lucas Cranach the Younger (1515-1586) and Abraham Jansens van Nuyssen (c. 1570-c. 1632). Among the more than 20 national and international lenders are the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, the Germanisches Nationalmuseum in Nuremberg, the Louvre in Paris and the Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen.
The definitive definition of the seven deadly sins in Christianity goes back to Pope Gregory I (around 540-604). These are actually seven major vices that lead to mortal sins such as murder or adultery. Colloquially, however, they are often referred to as mortal sins. Gregory I contrasted them with seven virtues. He combined the three divine virtues of faith, love and hope with the four virtues of prudence, justice, fortitude and temperance, which have been known since antiquity.
Collection Bonnefanten, NK collection, on loan from the Cultural Heritage Agency. Photo Peter Cox
Lucas Cranach II, Christ and the Adulteress, 1549, oil on canvas, 190 x 133 x 10 cm
Dive deeper into the art world
New York, Museum of Modern Art: »Woven Histories«
Textile art: from the 1920s to the 2020s
In a chronologically structured exhibition, the Museum of Modern Art examines the history of textile art since modernism. Over 150 works are on display from April 20 in Woven Histories. Textiles and Modern Abstraction in New York.
April 20, 2025
Denver Art Museum shows Kent Monkman
»History is Painted by the Victors«
The first major museum exhibition by Kent Monkman can be seen at the Denver Art Museum from April 20: The indigenous artist is known for his provocative allusions to European history painting, in which he addresses past and present life experiences of indigenous people in North America.
April 19, 2025
