Groeninge Museum, Bruges

The Groeninge Museum is a must see for anyone visiting Bruges who is interested in the history of art.  The collection contains a large collection of Flemish Primitives. In the 15th Century, Bruges was one of Europes main centres for the arts. Artists such as Jan van Eyck, Petrus Christus, Hans Memling and Gerard David, all worked in Bruges. The works they produced have become known as the Flemish Primitives. Their paintings are characterised by a detailed realism and attention to the smallest of details. They were able to paint metals and precious stones that reflected light. To achieve this they used oil paints whose pigments were mixed with linseed oil, instead of egg yolk. Although oil paint had existed for a long time, the Flemish Primitives refined the technique to such an extent, that they achieved a quality never before seen, making them famous in their own lifetime, as well as throughout history.

One of the most famous paintings in Bruges is the Madonna and Child, painted by Jan van Eyck in 1436.