In the second half of the 19 th century, after a long period of decay, ‘the mirror-cities’ Amsterdam and Antwerp both lived a sustained period of economic, demographic and cultural growth. Intellectuals and politicians alike compared the newly acquired prosperity with that of an earlier Golden Age. The bond between past and present was epitomized by a veneration for two iconic painters out of that period, respectively Rembrandt and Rubens. Supposedly, those painters even embodied the national characters of their communities. Both cities thus erected statues, bought the houses of their old masters and transformed them into museums. Thereby, opinion leaders from both places carefully studied the moves that were made in the rival city.

Meanwhile, the Rembrandt and the Rubens houses have become blockbuster attractions. Under the pressure from tourism managers and funding institutions, at both places, curators have fostered the illusion that visitors can experience the lives of the venerated old masters, their families and their pupils. However, such choices offer curators as well extraordinary opportunities to arouse a genuine interest into the past with ever-growing number of visitors.

The lecture will be followed by a reception with an assortment of Belgian beers sponsored by the Flemish Government.