LAE's Art History students recently returned from an enriching four-day study trip to Belgium, visiting Antwerp and Ghent to experience some of Europe’s most significant Baroque masterpieces first-hand.

After arriving in Antwerp by train, students began a carefully curated programme designed to bring their A-level case studies to life. The trip combined guided museum visits, cathedral tours, and site-specific learning, offering students the opportunity to engage directly with artworks they had previously encountered only in textbooks and lectures.

A highlight of the visit to Ghent was the exploration of the Museum of Fine Arts (MSK), where students took part in a guided session on "The World of the Ghent Altarpiece" and the restoration of Van Eyck’s Adoration of the Mystic Lamb. This was followed by a visit to Saint Bavo’s Cathedral, where students viewed the altarpiece in its original setting, enhanced by an augmented reality experience that contextualised its history and conservation.

In Antwerp, the focus shifted to the dramatic theatricality of Flemish Baroque art. Students visited the Saint Charles Borromeo Church, renowned for its ornate façade, before touring the Snijders & Rockox House to deepen their understanding of Rubens’ artistic world.

At the Cathedral of Our Lady, students encountered three monumental Rubens altarpieces, The Elevation of the Cross, The Descent from the Cross, and The Assumption of the Virgin Mary, all works that proved especially impactful when seen in situ.

Reflecting on the experience, Letizia noted: "What I enjoyed most about the trip was being able to see our case studies in person. Rather than studying pictures on a screen, we were able to experience Baroque art in the way that it was intended to be admired."

Students also visited the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp (KMSKA), where guided sessions explored portraiture, nature in art, and the evolution of Baroque and European avant-garde movements.

The final day included a visit to the Rubenshuis where students explored Rubens’ home, studio, garden, and library. Madiha reflected on the breadth of work encountered there: “I really enjoyed the visit to Rubens’ house and seeing the library dedicated to artists. I was surprised that it incorporated all the themes of Baroque art, from anonymous tronies all the way to dramatic portraiture.”

The group also toured the Plantin-Moretus Museum, discovering the historic printing workshop and exhibitions on early modern publishing and business practice. For many students, the immersive nature of the trip transformed their understanding of the subject. Kai described the experience as "incredibly interesting and a much more involved and active way to learn of the history and meaning behind the art.”

By encountering Baroque works in their architectural and historical contexts, students gained invaluable insight into scale, materiality, and religious function, deepening both their academic knowledge and personal appreciation of art history.

The department looks forward to building on this experience in future trips that continue to bring classroom learning into the real world.