Promotional items recall great art

Visit Flanders has just refined the art of promoting great Flemish art.

Marco Frank, with Visit Flanders’ North American office, and his colleagues are distributing eye shades that feature part of a classic artwork from a part of the world renowned for its great artists.

“The painting, or better a very small section of the painting that is depicted on the sleeping mask, is a self-portrait of Anthony van Dyck (1599-1641),” Frank reports of the eye shades, which have black backdrops and focus on the central part of van Dyck’s face. “It was painted circa 1615-1617. Anthony van Dyck was an assistant of Peter Paul Rubens and became Rubens’ first serious ‘competitor’ in Antwerp. Over time, when working in Italy and England, van Dyck revealed himself to be a virtuoso portrait artist. His empathy and magnificent technique were flawless.”

Along with the van Dyck image on the eye shade is a written invitation to see “the world through the eyes of a Flemish master,” a cute accompaniment for an item designed to be sleep inducing by blocking vision.

“The painting itself is a masterwork and can be admired in Antwerp,” Frank reports. “In particular, his eyes are stunning and the focal point of the painting. Since the sleeping mask does not offer a big canvas to portray a painting, we know that we had to find a single element of a painting that we could zoom in on. Once we had narrowed down the search to this painting, we engaged in a quick brainstorming session in our office. One thing came to another and the catch phrase ‘Seeing the world through the eyes of a Flemish Master’ was born.”

The new masks were created for the opening event of the Flemish Masters art exhibition “Saints, Sinners, Lovers, and Fools. 300 years of Flemish Masterworks” at the Denver Art Museum. The exhibition is a unique presentation of Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque paintings, sculptures, and other objects from the Southern Netherlands/Flanders. Masterpieces on display include works by Hans Memling, Jan Gossaert, Jan and Catharina van Hemessen, Rubens, Jacob Jordaens, and van Dyck.

After Denver, the exhibition will travel to Dallas and to Montreal in 2023. Exact dates for Montreal are pending.

“The wealth of centuries of art, culture, and heritage attracts many visitors from North America and all over the world,” Frank says of Flanders’ tourism trade while pointing to the likes of van Dyck, Rubens, van Eyck, and Bruegel. “There are over 400 Flemish Masters, and their stunning artwork form an integral part of the cultural experiences that visitors will have in Flanders. Their works of art can not only be seen in museums, but also in public buildings, churches, and abbeys. Belgians are very proud of their art. As a matter of fact, on a per capita basis, Belgian has the largest number of art collectors in the world. The art from the Renaissance and Baroque times continues today with a vibrant contemporary art scene, including open-air art events, such as the Triennial in Bruges. The next edition will be in 2024.”

The van Dyck eye shades aren’t for sale, only being used as promotional items by Visit Flanders.

But Frank predicts that there will be more creative inspirations from him and his colleagues.

“Since the mask is brand new, we will continue using it as a promotional item for the time being,” he states. “However, there is always the need to refresh your promotional material. When time comes, we will look for a suitable successor that is as stunning as this one.”