Bozar - Beauty and Ugliness in the Renaissance

## Beauty and Ugliness in the Renaissance

Beauty and ugliness have always fascinated people, yet their meanings shift over time. Bellezza e Bruttezza explores how artists from Italy and Northern Europe in the 15th and 16th centuries depicted these extremes, from refined ideals to deliberate grotesques. A rare opportunity to see extraordinary works, some appearing in Belgium for the first and only time.

The exhibition traces how the standards of beauty and ugliness evolved from the last quarter of the 15th century to the end of the 16th century—key transitional periods—by juxtaposing in a rich and compelling confrontation the ways in which these two subjects were interpreted by the greatest Italian artists and their counterparts from Northern Europe. Beauty became an increasingly important social concern at this time, as shown by the rising number of 16th-century publications offering “recipes for looking beautiful” and advice on cosmetics and care. Meanwhile, ugliness also grew in prominence in art, appearing in a widening range of forms throughout the same period.

Discover remarkable works by renowned artists such as Botticelli, Titian, Tintoretto, Leonardo da Vinci​​​​​​​, Michelangelo, Cranach the Elder, Massys, and many others.

After the event: drinks for those who want to keep the conversation going 🍷✨

>Please sign up only if you plan to join; this will prevent us from waiting for you. Thank you ;)

Ticket: it's safer to buy your ticket in advance.
Ticket price:
-If you have the Museum Pass/ICOMBrussels card: one free entry per day to one of a selection of exhibitions
-standard price = 18€
-<26 = 13€

Location:
Train
The Centre of Fine Arts is close to the Brussels Central Train Station. It's just a 5 minutes walk. Find more informations on NMBS.
Metro
Metrostations Central Station and Park (line 1 and 5).
Tram
Tram lines 92 en 93 stop at the Palais / Paleizen tram station.
Bus
Several bus lines (27 - 29 - 34 - 38 - 63 - 65 - 66 - 71 - 71N - 95) stop at the Bozar bus station.