B{L}OOMING

Baroque Flower Splendour

With the annual exhibition "B{L}OOMING – Baroque Flower Splendour", the Wallraf-Richartz-Museum is dedicating itself to the fascinating heyday of baroque flower painting. The exhibition showcases masterpieces by artists such as Jan Brueghel the Elder, known as "Blumenbrueghel", Daniel Seghers, Adriaen Coorte, Giovanni Stanchi and Peter Binoit, whose works, sourced from private collections as well as the museum's own holdings, are partly presented to the public for the first time.

Around 1600, flower painting established itself as an independent genre and rapidly gained popularity across Europe. Its compositions of roses, tulips or carnations contain far more than mere aesthetic appeal. The exhibition decodes the profound symbolism depicted in baroque still lifes and portraits, highlighting their social significance and illustrating clearly that flowers not only embody decorative beauty, but also symbolize human values and existential questions such as love, fidelity, faith, and a contemplation on transience.

A specially developed "Flower Trail" extends the perspective beyond the special exhibition into the permanent collection, offering comprehensive insights into the floral allegorical imagery of Flanders, the Netherlands, Italy and Germany. Thus, it opens up a dialogue about art-historical and cultural contexts, continuing the rich allegorical depth of Baroque painting into the present day and encouraging reflection upon existential and ethical values.