MAASTRICHT.- A dismal eternity of torture in hell; a mad little demon twisting his body so he can smell his own anus; or a life-sized half-naked woman reclining tantalisingly—is the image of sin in the sixteenth century evil, silly or actually enticing? With the comprehensive exhibition Truly Wicked: The Seven Deadly Sins visualised, Bonnefanten presents a unique view of good and evil in the art of the long sixteenth century (1450 - 1650).

Moral compass

Since forbidden fruit always seems more desirable, this exhibition focuses on the catalogue of all that is evil: the Seven Deadly Sins. Sins are depicted more than ever before in the sixteenth century, from stately personifications to behaviours (still) recognisable to this day. How do you portray such abstract concepts? What was evil and what was good by omission? At the heart of the exhibition is the renowned print series after a design of Pieter Bruegel the Elder, The Seven Deadly Sins from 1558. Visitors will be treated to an exhibition on Pride, Sloth, Gluttony, Envy, Anger, Lust and Greed with works on loan from the Netherlands and abroad. The exhibition explores the creative sixteenth-century depiction of evil, whilst simultaneously serving as inspiration and guidelines for examining the sins of today.

How do you portray the sinful?

Paintings, prints, drawings as well as illuminated manuscripts, books and even stained glass: this exhibition focuses on the depiction of sin in the Low Countries and what we now call the Euregion.

Bonnefanten will surround Bruegel’s The Seven Deadly Sins with the series’ precursors and sources of inspiration, works by contemporaries and followers depicting the same themes, and includes accessible, inexpensive mass-produced art along with valuable collectors’ works. Since these images were intended to remind people exactly how not to live and how absurd and depraved sin was, they tell us a lot about what was viewed as being sinful or evil at the time. This brought the depiction of sin very close to what was going on in society.

Holding up a mirror

The representations of the Seven Deadly Sins arose in an uncertain, confusing and troubled time.

Bruegel’s era was characterised by climate extremes of very cold winters and harsh summers, outbreaks of epidemics and violent outbursts of religious extremism. It was a period astonishingly similar to our own. This is why these sixteenth-century Seven Deadly Sins lend themselves particularly well as a mirror, prompting us to reflect on our own time. What form would sins take today, and does the list of seven still suffice? During an audio tour, seven narrators, including actor and word magician Ramsey Nasr and singer-songwriter Froukje, reflect on the role of the deadly sins in today’s world. From #metoo to climate issues, and from Christian traditions to Buddhist ideology. During this reflection, visitors are invited to follow suit by confessing their own sins and defining deadly sins.

Unique works on loan from the Netherlands and abroad

This exhibition has been made possible thanks to the generous loan of over 80 different works of art from more than 20 national and international lenders: the Germanisches Nationalmuseum in Nuremberg, The Phoebus Foundation in Antwerp, Musée du Louvre in Paris, the Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen, the Breslau Foundation in New York, and the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. The Bonnefanten presents a surprising mix of top international works and never-before-seen, accessible mass-produced art.

Publication: The Seven Deadly Sins in Bruegel’s Day

In cooperation with Waanders Publishers, a catalogue will be published to accompany the exhibition and will include art historical contributions from Saskia Cohen-Willner, Jip van Reijen, Dorien Tamis and Wendelien van Welie-Vink and a literary essay by Leen Huet. The richly illustrated book will be available in Dutch and English. Price: €29.95. ISBN 978 94 6262 586 0.

The exhibition Truly Wicked: The Seven Deadly Sins visualised has been made possible in part by: Turing Foundation, Mondriaan Fund, VSBfonds, the Cultuurfonds, The Phoebus Foundation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Gravin van Bylandt Stichting, Ennatuurlijk, ERCO.

Bonnefanten is subsidised by The Province of Limburg, The Ministry of Education, Culture and Science and the VriendenLoterij.