‘Scultori Fiamminghi. Flemish Sculptors in Italy’

09.10.26-28.02.27

PRESS RELEASE

In the autumn of 2026, M will, for the first time, highlight the artistic exchange between Italy and the Low Countries in the 16th century. Featuring masterpieces from renowned international museums, the exhibition tells the fascinating story of mutual influence, virtuoso craftsmanship, and a drive for innovation. Sculptures, paintings, drawings and prints reveal how artists from the Low Countries, who worked in Italy, left their mark on the visual language of the Renaissance.

“The ‘Scultori Fiamminghi’ exhibition shows how movement, exchange and international networks drove art and culture forward – a story that resonates today more than ever.”– Bert Cornillie, Alderman for Culture and Chair of the board of directors of M Leuven

Pioneers in the Low Countries

In the early 16th century, pioneers such as Jan Gossaert, Pieter Coecke van Aelst and Cornelis Floris introduced the Italian Renaissance to Flanders. Gradually, Flemish sculptors left the Gothic style behind for good. In the exhibition, you will be introduced to Jacques Dubroecq, the Low Countries’ first true Renaissance sculptor. After his trip to Italy, this court artist of Mary of Hungary became the first to put into practice what he saw across the Alps. The work of transitional figures such as Jacques Jonghelinck also features prominently in the exhibition.

Fiamminghi across the Alps

The Renaissance made its way to Flanders, but many Flemish artists also made their way to Italy. Giambologna (Jean [de] Boulogne) crossed the Alps never to return. He developed an innovative and influential oeuvre from his studio in Florence. His workshop became a magnet for talent from the North, including Pietro Francavilla, Johann Gregor van der Schardt and Adriaen De Vries. Around 1575, Flemish artists with Italian-sounding names, such as Egidio Della Riviera, Nicolo Pippi and Coppe Fiammingo, were equally influential in Rome.

Due to their unique blend of technical expertise and artistic ingenuity, the influence of these scultori fiamminghi [Flemish sculptors] swept across Europe, from the Scandinavian countries to the Spanish court.

The exhibition concludes with works by the Brussels family of sculptors, Duquesnoy, and the Utrecht-born brothers Robert and Andries De Nole. Their work demonstrates how the Counter-Reformation gave new impetus to religious sculpture at the end of the 16th century.

Masterpieces

In the exhibition, 16th-century sculptures from M’s collection shine alongside other masterpieces from international museums, such as the Bargello and the Uffizi (Florence), the Louvre (Paris), the V&A (London), the Rijksmuseum (Amsterdam), the Kunsthistorisches Museum (Vienna), the Vatican collections, and works from various churches and private collections. Thanks in part to this impressive list of international lenders, this exhibition reinforces the museum’s position as a leading centre for medieval and Renaissance sculpture.

"The exhibition presents new insights into the artistic exchange between the Low Countries and Italy, based on recent research, and reaffirms M’s position as a leading centre of expertise in medieval and Renaissance sculpture." - Marjan Debaene, Director of Old Masters at M Leuven and exhibition curator

M is the driving force behind the international ARDS research network

The exhibition also stems from the research carried out by ARDS, the Association for Research and Documentation on Medieval and Renaissance Sculpture. M Leuven is the driving force behind this international research network, with Marjan Debaene, curator and Director of Old Masters, acting as coordinator. The museum, which boasts an exceptional collection from this period, also houses the ARDS’s scientific library and documentation centre .

In 2023, Rome hosted a colloquium entitled 'Beyond the Alps. Artistic Exchanges between the Low Countries and Italy in Medieval and Renaissance Sculpture'.

The 13th ARDS Congress will take place from 26 to 27 November 2026 at M Leuven, and its theme is ​ ‘Innovative research tools and methodologies for the study of medieval and Renaissance sculpture’.

PRESS KIT

In the spotlight: four exceptional international loans

Giambologna, ‘Woman Reclining and Writing (Geometry and Astrology)’ (1565-1570)

Loan: Victoria and Albert Museum, London

The Flemish artist Jean de Boulogne, who became known in Italy as Giambologna, made his breakthrough in 1583 with the ‘Abduction of a Sabine Woman’. The sculpture still stands in the Piazza della Signoria in Florence. Following its unveiling, young artists queued up to become his apprentices.

Giambologna therefore had a large workshop, with dozens of pupils and assistants. They took on many of the tasks and specialised, amongst other things, in working with marble and casting bronze. But Giambologna preferred to do the modelling in clay or wax himself. That is precisely why ‘Woman Reclining and Writing (Geometry and Astrology)’ is so special: the master himself created this terracotta model.

The female figure represents Geometry and Astrology. The globe beneath her arms symbolizes this association. Such a model could then serve as a reference in the studio for a sculpture in marble or bronze.

The fact that Giambologna attached so much importance to modelling reportedly stemmed entirely from a meeting with Michelangelo during his early years in Rome. He proudly showed the famous artist one of his clay sculptures. Michelangelo looked at the work, remodelled it completely, then said: ‘Learn to model first, before you start on the finishing touches.’ A lesson Giambologna never forgot.

Francesco Bordoni and Pietro Francavilla, 'Captives' (1614-1618)

Loan: Musée du Louvre, Parijs

Francesco Bordoni & Pierre de Franqueville, Captives from the plinth of the equestrian statue of Henry IV on the Pont NeufFrancesco Bordoni & Pierre de Franqueville, Captives from the plinth of the equestrian statue of Henry IV on the Pont Neuf

These bronze, chained prisoners once stood on the plinth of the now-vanished large equestrian statue of King Henry IV on the Pont Neuf in Paris. They symbolise the continents that submitted to the French king – in this case, Africa and Europe. Giambologna designed the ensemble, but left the execution to his assistants.

When King Henry IV of France wanted to erect a huge equestrian statue of himself in Paris, he knew of only one artist who was up to the task: Giambologna.

Giambologna designed a magnificent sculpture: King Henry was seated on a noble horse, with four sculptures of captive figures around the plinth; personifications of the continents submitting to the French king. In ‘Scultori Fiamminghi’ you can see two of the four sculptures, namely Africa and Europe. As Giambologna was busy in Florence, he sent one of his key collaborators to Paris: Pierre de Franqueville – or, as the Italians knew him, Pietro Francavilla.

However, the work progressed so slowly that Giambologna died before it was finished. Giambologna therefore conceived these sculptures, but de Franqueville executed them. His son-in-law, Francesco Bordoni, completed the final touches in 1618.

The original equestrian statue of Henry IV did not survive the French Revolution. It was destroyed and later replaced by a new one. The prisoners, however, were preserved. A miniature version of the equestrian statue can be seen in ‘Scultori Fiamminghi’.

Jacques Jonghelinck, ‘Sol’ (ca 1565)

Loan: Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam

This 16th-century statuette of the sun was long attributed to Johan Gregor van der Schardt. However, recent material analysis attributes the work to the Antwerp sculptor Jacques Jonghelinck. The casting method and the bronze composition are particularly significant in this regard. These bear striking similarities to documented works by Jonghelinck, who introduced Italian casting techniques to the Low Countries.

In this exhibition, ‘Sol’ is reunited, exceptionally, with ‘Luna’ from the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna. When viewing the two figurines side by side, the similarities in form, technique and material are immediately apparent. Both works also have openings for a water pipe. They may have formed part of a fountain.

Gillis van den Vliete, alias Egidio della Riviera (attributed to), ‘Three Sleeping Putti’ (before 1609)

Loan: Galleria Borghese, Rome

This refined relief, attributed to the Mechelen sculptor Gillis van den Vliete – known in Italy as Egidio della Riviera – depicts three sleeping putti, elegantly intertwined within the relief. We are not entirely sure exactly who they represent. Traditionally, they are associated with Morpheus, Phobetor and Phantasos, the sons of the god of sleep, Hypnos, and personifications of the world of dreams. People have also interpreted the three figures as representing the seasons: Spring, Summer and Winter.

This sculpture enjoyed great success in 17th-century Rome. Not only did the Borghese family own a copy: similar versions are also documented in the collections of the Giustiniani and Barberini families. Anthony van Dyck was also familiar with the work; he made a drawing of it in his Italian sketchbook.

Monumental tapestry by Pieter Coecke van Aelst completely restored for the exhibition

Three scenes from the life of the Apostle Paul

The tapestry ‘Saint Paul Seized from the Temple in Jerusalem’, on loan from the Snijders&Rockoxhuis in Antwerp, tells a complete story. The life of the Apostle Paul unfolds across three scenes. After preaching Jesus’s message in Jerusalem, Paul was violently driven from the temple by the people.

On the right, you can see the military commander intervening: he holds back the furious crowd and saves Paul from their clutches by arresting him. In the background on the right, Paul addresses the people once more from the steps, hoping to persuade them to change their minds. Without success.

Eventually, he is taken by ship to the Roman city of Caesarea, a scene depicted in miniature at the top left.

The Latin texts at the top of the tapestry describe the events.

This impressive tapestry, measuring 4.30 metres by 8.24 metres, was designed by Pieter Coecke van Aelst, one of the most influential Renaissance artists from the Low Countries. As a young man, he probably travelled to Rome, but he also encountered Italian Renaissance art closer to home.

The influence of Raphael

Several years earlier, Pope Leo X had commissioned a prestigious series of tapestries for the Sistine Chapel. The designs were by none other than Raphael, but the Pope chose a Brussels workshop to weave the tapestries. Raphael’s designs were sent to Brussels in 1516, where they remained on view for many years. In all likelihood, Pieter Coecke van Aelst also studied these works and drew inspiration from them for his own designs.

Restored by Manufactuur De Wit

The work was restored especially for ‘Scultori Fiamminghi’ by the internationally renowned Manufactuur De Wit, which specializes in the conservation and restoration of historic tapestries.

A wooden loggia from 1549 displayed in its original splendour in the exhibition

The monumental loggia from the 16th-century Antwerp city palace ‘Den Grooten Sot’ is being largely rebuilt for the first time. MAS has loaned the original wooden elements.

Ferdinand Truyman, Reconstruction drawing of the loggia in ‘Den Grooten Sot’, 1888 (Antwerp City Archives – 12#9655), AV.0862.1-4, MAS | Museum aan de Stroom, Antwerp, photo: Bart Huysmans

Ferdinand Truyman, Reconstruction drawing of the loggia in ‘Den Grooten Sot’, 1888 (Antwerp City Archives – 12#9655), AV.0862.1-4, MAS | Museum aan de Stroom, Antwerp, photo: Bart Huysmans

Pieter Coecke van Aelst, Loggia of the Antwerp patrician residence Den Grooten Sot, detail, MAS | Museum aan de Stroom, Antwerp, Photo: Pat VerbruggenPieter Coecke van Aelst, Loggia of the Antwerp patrician residence Den Grooten Sot, detail, MAS | Museum aan de Stroom, Antwerp, Photo: Bart Huysmans & Michel WuytsPieter Coecke van Aelst, Loggia of the Antwerp patrician residence Den Grooten Sot, detail, MAS | Museum aan de Stroom, Antwerp, Photo: Pat VerbruggenPat Verbrugge

Panel with strapwork motifs, laurel wreath, fruit garlands, satyrs, a herm and a caryatid; part of the loggia of ‘Den Grooten Sot’, AV.0862.1-4, MAS | Museum aan de Stroom, Antwerp, photo: Bart Huysmans

This gallery, dating from 1549, formed part of the Antwerp patrician house known as ‘Den Grooten Sot’ and is attributed to the versatile artist Pieter Coecke van Aelst (1502–1550). It is notable for its rich wood carvings, which include garlands of fruit, shells, satyrs and other mythological figures.

The loggia was dismantled in the 19th century. For the exhibition at M, the surviving original elements are being reassembled and the loggia is being largely reconstructed.

On display: earliest known copy of 'Manneken Pis' by Jacques van de Broeck (after Jérôme Duquesnoy)

Manneken Pis is a legendary figure – a true symbol of Brussels and Belgium. Jérôme Duquesnoy, a sculptor from Brussels, designed the famous statuette. He worked at the court of Albert and Isabella, who were responsible for the revival of the arts in the early 17th century.

Brussels City Council commissioned Manneken Pis. There was, in fact, nothing particularly unusual about Duquesnoy’s sculpture: a peeing putto, a typical nude child figure from Renaissance art. Nevertheless, the new Manneken Pis was an instant hit with the city’s residents. This version – the earliest copy of the original statuette – is a testament to its popularity. Incidentally, you can see the original at Brussels City Museum. At the Manneken Pis fountain in Stoofstraat, you’ll find a replica today.

Manneken Pis remains Jérôme Duquesnoy’s most celebrated work. His son, François Duquesnoy, also became famous for his putti, but ultimately surpassed his father. François travelled to Rome, where he worked alongside Bernini, the leading Italian Baroque sculptor, on the sculptures for St Peter’s Basilica. The fiamminghi thus also had a part to play in Italian Baroque art.

Visual material

Egidio della Riviera (attributed to), Three Sleeping Putti (detail) © Galleria Borghese, photo: Luciano Romano

Giambologna, Woman reclining and writing (Geometry and Astrology) © Victoria and Albert Museum, LondonJacques Jonghelinck, Sol © Rijksmuseum. Acquired with support from 'Stichting tot Bevordering van de Belangen'

Francesco Bordoni & Pierre de Franqueville, Captives from the pedestal of the equestrian statue of Henry IV on the Pont Neuf© GrandPalaisRmn (musée du Louvre) / Stéphane MaréchalleFrancesco Bordoni & Pierre de Franqueville, Captives from the pedestal of the equestrian statue of Henry IV on the Pont Neuf© GrandPalaisRmn (musée du Louvre) / Stéphane MaréchalleGiambologna, Julius Caesar, private collection Belgium © the lender

Giambologna, Julius Caesar, private collection Belgium © the lenderEgidio della Riviera (attributed to), Three Sleeping Putti (detail) © Galleria Borghese, photo: Luciano Romano

François Duquesnoy, Bacchanal of Putti with a Goat, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Purchased with the support of the Familie M. van Poecke/Rijksmuseum Fonds and the J.W. Edwin Vom Rath Fonds/Rijksmuseum Fonds

Jan Gossaert, Design for the funerary monument of Isabella of Austria, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Kupferstichkabinett / photo: Jörg P. Anders, Public Domain Mark 1.0

Giambologna, Ferdinand Ier de Médicis, photo : Cedric Verhelst pour meemoo. Art in Flanders © Fondation Jacquemart-André – Institut de France, Domaine de Chaalis, Fontaine-Chaalis (MJAC-Sc 487)Elias de Witte, Spiritello, BK-20222. Rijksmuseum. Transfer of management of the National Museum of Antiquities, LeidenRobert & Andries de Nole, Ignatius of Loyola, BK-BR-989 Rijksmuseum. On loan from the Royal Collections

Robert & Andries de Nole, Ignatius of Loyola, BK-BR-989 Rijksmuseum. On loan from the Royal CollectionsJohan Gregor van der Schardt, Johann Neudörffer the Younger, BK-C-1994-1. Rijksmuseum. On loan from the Royal Picture Gallery Mauritshuis

Johan Gregor van der Schardt, Johann Neudörffer the Younger, BK-C-1994-1. Rijksmuseum. On loan from the Royal Picture Gallery MauritshuisPieter Coecke van Aelst, Loggia de la demeure patricienne anversoise Den Grooten Sot, AV.0860, MAS | Museum aan de Stroom, Anvers, photo : Pat Verbruggen / Bart Huysmans & Michel WuytsPieter Coecke van Aelst, Loggia de la demeure patricienne anversoise Den Grooten Sot, AV.0860, MAS | Museum aan de Stroom, Anvers, photo : Pat Verbruggen / Bart Huysmans & Michel Wuyts

Peter Coecke van Aelst, The expulsion of PaulJacques van den Broeck after Jérôme Duquesnoy, ‘Manneken Pis’, 1630, bronze, Brussels, Brussels City Museum. King’s House, photo: E. Laurent

Ferdinand Truyman, Reconstruction drawing of the loggia in ‘Den Grooten Sot’, 1888 (Antwerp City Archives – 12#9655), AV.0862.1-4, MAS | Museum aan de Stroom, Antwerp, photo: Bart HuysmansFerdinand Truyman, Reconstruction drawing of the loggia in ‘Den Grooten Sot’, 1888 (Antwerp City Archives – 12#9655), AV.0862.1-4, MAS | Museum aan de Stroom, Antwerp, photo: Bart Huysmans

Texts

Giambologna, a Flemish master in Italy | M Leuven

This autumn, you can visit Scultori Fiamminghi. Flemish Sculptors in Italy at M, our first exhibition exploring the artistic exchange between Italy and the Low Countries in the 16th century. Meet one of the key figures: the Flemish artist Jean de Boulogne, also known as Giambologna.

M Leuven

Opening

‘Scultori Fiamminghi’ opens on 08.10 and coincides with a presentation by M-resident Elise El Yousfi

Opening 'Scultori Fiamminghi' and presentation of M-resident Elise El Yousfi | M Leuven

On Thursday evening, 8 October, we will open a new exhibition at M: 'Scultori Fiamminghi'. Be among the first to discover the exhibition, hear a few words from the curator, and enjoy a drink.

M Leuven

Elise El Yousfi presentation | M Leuven

Elise El Yousfi's presentation marks the culmination of her five-month residency at M. During her residency, she continued to develop a visual practice situated at the intersection of sculpture and poetry. Raised within a Moroccan and French cultural background, El Yousfi’s work explores questions of diaspora, identity, and the experience of growing up.

M Leuven

Guided Tours

Discover 'Scultori Fiamminghi' with a guide | M Leuven

In the 16th century, sculptors from the Low Countries conquered the Italian Renaissance. The Italians called them the Fiamminghi – the Flemings. Discover their story at M Leuven.

M Leuven

A low-stimulus introductory guided tour of ‘Scultori Fiamminghi’ | M Leuven

Discover ‘Scultori Fiamminghi’ with a guide and nine other lovers of tranquillity.

Family guided tours for young travellers | M Leuven

Did you know that, hundreds of years ago, a group of Flemish sculptors travelled to Italy and turned the art world on its head? On this guided tour, you’ll discover how sculptors from that period went about their work.

A low-stimulus family tour of ‘Scultori Fiamminghi’ | M Leuven

Discover ‘Scultori Fiamminghi’ before M opens, accompanied by a guide and nine other lovers of tranquillity.

Introductory guided tour of ‘Scultori Fiamminghi’ | M Leuven

In the 16th century, many sculptors from the Low Countries travelled to Italy. Some returned after a few years, but others stayed and went on to become the leading sculptors of the Renaissance. The Italians called them the ‘Fiamminghi’ – the Flemings. The exhibition ‘Scultori Fiamminghi’ tells their story for the first time.

Food for Thought

Schone wreedheid (Beautiful Cruelty) | M Leuven

Mythological depictions from the 16th century are among the most fascinating images in art history. These masterfully crafted compositions include dynamic figures and dramatic gestures but, at the same time, often convey stories of power, abduction, murder and rape. During this ‘Food for Thought’ evening, lecturer Nadia Sels and postdoctoral researcher Alexander Vandewalle will analyse how we can interpret such images today (lecture in Dutch).

Waarom kunstenaars vertrekken (Why Artists Leave) | M Leuven

Sculptors from the Low Countries travelled to Italy in the 16th century, drawn to the presence of antiquity, the proximity of influential patrons and the opportunity to develop within an international artistic network. During this ‘Food for Thought’ evening, Dr Arjan de Koomen and Dr Filip Vermeylen will explain how this migration of artists profoundly shaped art history (lecture in Dutch).

Giambologna and Adriaen de Vries | M Leuven

Why do artists leave? How does a visual language evolve through travel and international contacts? And how do exchanges between different cities, patrons and cultures lead to innovation? Drawing on the lives and works of the 16th-century sculptors Giambologna and Adriaen de Vries, Dimitrios Zikos and Frist Scholten demonstrate how mobility, ambition and craftsmanship shaped art history (lecture in Dutch).

Exhibition publication

The exhibition is accompanied by a publication entitled ‘Scultori Fiamminghi. Artistic Exchange between the Low Countries and Italy, 1500–1620’. The book traces the artistic cross-fertilisation between the Northern and Southern Renaissance, ranging from the precursors and transitional figures to the early Baroque period. In addition to essays by international specialists, it also contains catalogue entries for the works on loan to the exhibition.

PRESS CONTACT

With the support from