Till-Holger Borchert – författare

Commissioned by Jean, Duke of Berry, in the early years of the fifteenth century, this devotional volume is among the greatest books of hours ever produced and certainly the most important manuscript to survive the Middle Ages. Exuberant, detailed, and impossibly lavish, it encapsulates the most exquisite medieval calendar, which has become famous in its own right as a crown jewel of medieval art. Painstakingly made by hand on 206 sheets of the finest calfskin by three Flemish artists the Limbourg brothers Paul, Johan, and Herman this book of hours is unrivaled as a monument to the art of making books prior to the printing press. The keen interest in the natural world and the naturalistic means of representing it in the striking illuminations foreshadow the work of the Dutch and Flemish Renaissance. Recently restored at the Louvre s state-of-the-art facilities, the manuscript was explored in depth using the best imaging techniques and allowing hundreds of details to be analyzed. This volume is based on the finest reproductions possible, along with expert text that provides an entirely new and profound understanding of the artists methods and their sublime illuminations.

Flemish painter Jan Van Eyck (c. 1390–1441) towered above his contemporaries. With his unprecedented technique, scientific knowledge and unparalleled powers of observation, Van Eyck lifted oil painting to previously unseen heights and helped determine the course of Western art. In 2020 the Museum of Fine Arts Ghent will host the largest ever exhibition of Van Eyck’s work. An Optical Revolution includes artworks by Van Eyck, several pieces from his studio and international masterpieces from the late Middle Ages, which makes the world of Van Eyck more tangible than ever. This tie-in exhibition catalogue unravels some of the myths that surround Van Eyck and his technique while showing his complete oeuvre and his influence in a new perspective. Central to the exhibition are the eight restored exterior panels of the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, a highly exceptional loan from St Bavo’s Cathedral in Ghent. After the exhibition the panels will return to their original place in the cathedral and never again be shown elsewhere. Including essays by leading experts from around the world, this book will be an indispensable resource for Van Eyck fans and scholars alike.

Often imitated but never equaled, Jan van Eyck (c. 1390-1441) left an indelible impression on Renaissance art and paved the way for future realist painters. With its unprecedented precision and masterful use of color, Arnolfini Double Portrait, depicting the wedding of a young couple, is testament to the mastery of the Flemish painter and leader of the Early Netherlandish school. Van Eyck painted both secular and religious subject matter, emphasizing a naturalism and realism that moved seamlessly between 15th-century everyday life and poetic, heavenly settings. Working with oil paint, he innovated the medium, allowing for great intensity and depth of color. Trace the artist’s impressive oeuvre in this hardcover survey of his work, including altarpieces, religious figures, and commissioned portraits. Featuring enlarged details and close analyses of masterpieces like the Ghent Altarpiece, this publication also offers a chronology of van Eyck’s production, including the output of his workshop which continued even after his death.

The Book of Miracles first surfaced only a few years ago and is one of the most spectacular discoveries in the field of Renaissance art. The near-complete illustrated manuscript, created in Augsburg around 1550, is composed of 169 pages of large-format illustrations in gouache and watercolor, depicting wondrous and often eerie phenomena.The mesmerizing images deal with both biblical and folkloric tales, depicting stories from the Old Testament and Book of Revelation as well as events that took place in the immediate present of the manuscript’s author. From shooting stars to swarms of locusts, terrifying monsters to fatal floods, page after page hypnotizes with visions alternately dreadful, spectacular, and even apocalyptic.This volume presents the revelatory Book of Miracles in a new, compact format, making this extraordinary document accessible to everyone. It comes with a translation of the manuscript texts and two essays that give an introduction to the cultural and historical context of this unique Renaissance work.

The Book of Miracles first surfaced several ago and is one of the most spectacular discoveries in the field of Renaissance art. The near-complete illustrated manuscript, created in Augsburg around 1550, is composed of 169 pages of large-format illustrations in gouache and watercolor, depicting wondrous and often eerie phenomena.The mesmerizing images deal with both biblical and folkloric tales, depicting stories from the Old Testament and Book of Revelation as well as events that took place in the immediate present of the manuscript’s author. From shooting stars to swarms of locusts, terrifying monsters to fatal floods, page after page hypnotizes with visions alternately dreadful, spectacular, and even apocalyptic.This volume presents the revelatory Book of Miracles in a new, compact format, making this extraordinary document accessible to everyone. It comes with a translation of the manuscript texts and an essay that gives an introduction to the cultural and historical context of this unique Renaissance work.

Triennial Bruges 2021, TraumA, uses artistic and architectural interventions to bring the less attractive or forgotten aspects of Bruges' history to the surface and make them part of the city's image. Text in English and Dutch.

Following Masterpiece: Hieronymus Bosch, Masterpiece: Peter Paul Rubens shows the paintings of this Flemish master as never seen before. With amazing details and full-page images this is an attractively priced pocket-size guide. There is a commentary on the images by Till-Holger Borchert, the director of Musea Brugge.Text in English and Dutch.Also available:Masterpiece: Jan Van Eyck ISBN 9789401441629

"This book is like a private exhibition." Belgian Newspaper De Volkskrant on Masterpiece2019, 450 years after the Old Master's death, will be celebrated as the Year of Bruegel, culminating in the exhibition 'The Age of Bruegel' at The Royal Museum of Fine Arts (KMSKA), Antwerp. In the run up to the numerous exhibitions and festivities that are planned for next year, Lannoo Publishers releases this glossy guidebook. It contains images of the Old Master's paintings showing astonishing detail. It contains expert commentary by Till-Holger Borchert, director of all Bruges-based museums.Text in English and Dutch. Also available in the series:Masterpiece: Peter Paul Rubens ISBN: 9789401441612Masterpiece: Jan Van Eyck ISBN: 9789401441629

Around 1505 Goossen Van der Weyden, Rogier's grandson, painted a monumental altarpiece depicting the variousphases of Saint Dymphna's insane life.This Irish princess, who fled her incestuous father in the sixth century, was beheaded in the Kempen village of Geel. On account of her tragic end and uncompromising chastity, the princess was venerated from that moment on as the patron saint of the mentally ill. From the late Middle Ages, pilgrims flocked to Geel in large numbers to catch a glimpse of Saint Dymphna. They paid homage to the local celebrity in the hope that she would alleviate theirmental problems. To this day, Geel is known for its unique treatment ofthe mentally ill, who are cared for at home by locals.Goossen Van der Weyden's altarpiece came into being at the height of Dymphna's popularity. The masterpiece was intended for the church of Tongerlo Abbey. Today this work is characterised by a remarkable iconography and an eventful history: a panel was lost and the triptych was even sawn into pieces. It ultimately came into the hands of a team of specialists from Belgium and abroad who subjected the altarpiece to a meticulous conservation over a period of three years, a colossal undertaking duringwhich new techniques were used. This gave the conservators unprecedented insight into the mind, and workshop, of an early 16th century painter.This richly illustrated book is the result of years of research and contains essays by Till-Holger Borchert (Musea Brugge), Stephan Kemperdick (Gemäldegalerie, Staatliche Museen, Berlin),Katharina Van Cauteren (The Phoebus Foundation, Antwerp), Lucinda Timmermans (Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam), Patrick Allegaert (Dr. Guislain Museum, Ghent) and many others.

The world is in transition. Established ideas and lifestyles are under pressure: everything is in flux. This volatility and ambivalence can lead to uncertainty and even fear. The 2018 Bruges Triennial: Liquid City offers a beacon of hope, presenting a fluid, open and engaged city; Bruges as an engine of social, cultural and political change; a creative melting pot for encounters of all kinds; and a breeding ground for urban innovation. The liquid city of Bruges - literally ringed by the water that once brought it prosperity and fame - becomes a metaphorical Liquid City, characterised by fluidity, transition, influx and exchange: a continuous artistic dynamism that at times flows gently and at others turbulently through the city. The 2018 Bruges Triennial: Liquid City invites internationally acclaimed artists and architects from around the world to interpret the 'Liquid City' theme. They create an art trail dotted with temporary hospitable spaces, conceptual representations and unexpected places for encounters within the historic city centre. Text in English and Dutch.