The Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza in Madrid and the Mauritshuis in The Hague are simultaneously lending 25 highlights from their permanent collections to one another. The collaboration brings together 50 works of art, created between 1400 and 1700, representing the painting traditions of the Low Countries, Italy, France, Spain, and Germany. Featuring artists such as Jan van Eyck, Albrecht Dürer, El Greco, and Bronzino, the exhibition presents works by internationally renowned artists that are rarely seen in the Netherlands.
Titled Thyssen-Bornemisza ♥ Mauritshuis, the exhibition explores love in its many forms. A universal theme that connects people to one another, to animals, and to the world around them, love is experienced differently across individuals and cultures. The works depict romantic longing, devotion to the Virgin Mary, divine love, self-love, family ties, harmony with nature, and solidarity. Love can manifest itself through intimacy, desire, and surrender, but also through sorrow, jealousy, and shame. Beyond the realm of private emotions, the exhibition considers how perceptions of love are shaped by the historical and social contexts in which people live. It raises questions about the boundaries of love and desire, exploring who is free to choose whom to love, and who is not.