ON VIEW Madonna meets Mad Meg
Masterpieces and Their Collectors
It goes without saying that Bruegel and Fouquet are the real masters behind ‘Dulle Griet’ and The Madonna. Yet it is thanks to master collectors that we are able to enjoy these outstanding works today. Step into the world of connoisseurs Fritz Mayer van den Bergh and Florent van Ertborn and discover their relentless nose for beauty.
Plan your visit
Everything you need to know to plan and make the most of your visit to the Museum Mayer van den Bergh.
Guided tour
For groups
Florent van Ertborn (1784–1840) and Fritz Mayer van den Bergh's (1858–1901) contemporaries tended to view Bruegel’s Dulle Griet and Fouquet’s Madonna as impoverished, nondescript, weird or downright ugly. Fortunately, the two collectors took another view. They broke completely with the fashions of their time in their quest for that one special masterpiece.
We have selected the works you definitely shouldn’t miss. You will be astonished, moved and awe-struck by these masterpieces.
About Fritz and his collection
The museum bears the name of Fritz Mayer van den Bergh, a man of means, art connoisseur and eminent collector. Who was he? What role does his mother play in the story? What did he collect? And where does Pieter Bruegel come into it all?
The name of Pieter Bruegel the Elder is known worldwide. However, this was not the case in Fritz Mayer van den Bergh’s day. Again, he was ahead of his time. Bruegel’s works are now the undoubted high points of the museum collection.
Guided tours
Fritz Mayer van den Bergh was a visionary collector. His masterpieces from the Middle Ages and Renaissance can be seen today in a homely and intimate atmosphere. Discover his story on one of our guided tours.