Back to the Burgundians: Museum Hof van Busleyden in Mechelen reopens with Knights of the Golden Fleece and contemporary art

Museum Hof van Busleyden first opened five years ago, but further restoration of roofs and windows proved necessary. That has now been completed, along with new landscaping. Good use of the time the museum was made to "sharpen the narrative," says director Kristl Strubbe.   

The Hof van Busleyden dates from the early 16th century, when Mechelen was the capital of the Burgundian Netherlands. Margaret of Austria, the governor of the Habsburg Netherlands, resided in the city and a few streets away, humanist Hieronymus van Busleyden lived in his city palace.

Museum Hof van Busleyden possesses art treasures of its own: paintings, alabaster reliefs, a unique Choir Book with music manuscripts, so-called "enclosed courtyards", fold-out miniature art created by nuns.

In addition, all kinds of works of art will be on show in Mechelen thanks to long-term loans, from the Prado in Madrid or the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. "We have built up enough trust with these institutions for this now to happen," explains director Kristl Strubbe.

Hannah Thijs, the museum's head of collections and exhibitions, has a favourite: Jan Coessaet's huge painting depicting the Great Council, the Mechelen Parliament of 1474.

"It’s been recognised as a Flemish Masterpiece.  The restoration took a year and a half. The result is marvellous. Suddenly it contains much more colour and the somewhat caricatured figures now have more character. Further research should reveal whether they are portraits of real people."

The painting of the parliament shows only one woman among the many men. Visitors can learn more about her by using the audio guide. The whole museum pays great attention to all kinds of people on the margins, to the so called "Hidden Voices".

"History often tells the story of rulers and victors; we want to portray the different layers of the population as well," says Thijs.

Contemporary art is also on display in every single room, cheek by jowl with treasures of historic art. These works have been selected by curator Magali Elali. The artists include established names such as Berlinde De Bruyckere, who previously exhibited at the Hof van Busleyden, and Sofie Muller, and her sculptures of alabaster hands.

Besides a portrait of Margaret of Austria, a video by Anouk De Clercq presents a slow-moving black actress in historical costume. A striking number of artists of colour are represented.

"I tried to add another layer to history. To link to today and to various communities that might not feel welcome in this museum," says Magali Elali.

"There are subtle interventions by contemporary art and some works "clash" a bit more than you might like. You may be surprised, but if you just want to enjoy the historic art, your calm will not be broken!"

The large underground hall of Museum Hof van Busleyden hosts the temporary exhibition "Knights of the Golden Fleece. A brilliant myth unravelled". All eyes are immediately focused on a procession of dozens of colourful plates.

Curator of ancient art Hannah Iterbeke, takes us back to 1491.

"The panels were specially made for a great celebration 533 years ago. That was when the knights of the Golden Fleece gathered in Mechelen. Each of these panels depicts the coat of arms of a knight. It was a kind of 'name plate' that indicated where the knights should take their seats." The Burgundian coats of arms hung in the St Rombouts Cathedral, but they were in bad shape.

In recent years, a team of 14 experienced specialists restored them. The result is stunningly colourful and glossy. Visitors can study them in detail while listening to the "Ambassador of the Burgundians" on the audio guide: author Bart van Loo.

The Order of the Golden Fleece was an invention of the third Duke of Burgundy, Philip the Good. He found inspiration in a legend from ancient Greece, which was recently featured in the Europalia exhibition on Georgia in Brussels, which is where the famous "golden fleece" or "golden ram's fleece" is said to come from.

In Mechelen, in addition to the coats of arms, there are paintings, manuscripts, objects relating to the Knights of the Golden Fleece, and also a giant Brussels tapestry depicting a tournament, exactly as it was held in Mechelen in 1491.

This temporary exhibition also features contemporary art by domestic and foreign artists, from Marina Abramovic to Mous Lamrabat, from flags to a giant megaphone.

The Golden Fleece is about power.  That got curator Magali Elali thinking: what are the stereotypes, what is it like in other cultures? She sees clear connections to today's superheroes. "In contemporary visual culture, I came across a lot of knights".  

The exhibition offers a critical look at the image and myth-making of the Order of the Golden Fleece, concludes director Kristl Strubbe. "How did the Burgundian dukes' PR machine work? How did they deploy grand tapestries, banquets and knightly tournaments to increase their power?"

You find the answers at the Hof van Busleyden Museum. And by the way: the knightly order still exists. Filip, King of Belgians, is only one of its members.