The fine and visual arts have been preserved in the Groeningemuseum for many years. This is actually the successor to the Academy’s Museum, where artists were trained from the 18th century onwards. After the French Revolution, many paintings from churches and monasteries that had been demolished found a safe haven in the Academy. So students of painting could literally stand face to face with the work of Memling and Van Eyck!
Prints, drawings and other graphic works are traditionally kept in the Print Room or Steinmetzkabinet, named after an important donator from the 19th century. Thanks to another donation from Frank Brangwyn, a very versatile artist with British roots who lived and worked in Bruges, an exceptional ensemble of his prints, drawings and design sketches ended up in the city’s colelction. Brangwyn also donated furniture, tapestries and carpets, fabrics, ceramics and even display cabinets were made according to his designs.
