Twee kleine meisjes, met elk een roos in de hand, staan voor een tafel. Op de tafel staan een wereldbol, een inktpot en een drietal boeken, waarvan er één is opengeslagen. De gezichten van de kinderen hebben een geïndividualiseerd, portretmatig karakter. Hun kleding is karakteristiek voor de Noord-Nederlandse mode in de jaren vijftig van de zeventiende eeuw. De nadrukkelijke aanwezigheid van attributen op het schilderij verraadt een symbolische inslag, met een beklemtoond vanitaskarakter. Bloemen, en rozen in het bijzonder, verzinnebeelden onder meer de vergankelijkheid van de jeugd en het materiële geluk. Boek en wereldbol vormen samen een bekende allegorie van het geestesleven. Het openliggende boek is een bijbel die lijkt te zijn opengeslagen op het tweede hoofdstuk van Prediker, met de beroemde beschouwingen over de ijdelheid der aardse dingen: "IJdelheid der IJdelheden, zegt de Prediker, alles is ijdelheid" (Pred. XII, 8). Een ander opmerkelijk detail is de massieve zuil op de achtergrond. Deze kan symbool staan van de standvastigheid (Fortitudo). Het schilderij zou dan kunnen geïnterpreteerd worden als een portret waarin de jeugd er moraliserend wordt toe aangezet standvastig het pad der deugd te bewandelen, zich niet te laten afleiden door aardse geneugten, en steeds het geestelijk goed te betrachten. Een dergelijke inhoud beantwoordt in ieder geval aan het stoïcijnse ethos van het Calvinistische koopliedenpatriciaat van de zeventiende-eeuwse Noordelijke Nederlanden.
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Climbing the 366 steps of the Belfry is quite an effort. We recommend visiting only when you are in good condition.
Be punctual. Otherwise your ticket will expire.
Enjoy the breathtaking view!
Great that you want to visit several museums. With the advantageous Musea Brugge Card you have 72 hours to do so. A Musea Brugge card purchased online only becomes active at the start of your first visit and can be activated up to one year after purchase.
Tip: reserve your time slot for each museum you want to visit via this page. We certainly recommend this for busy locations such as the Belfry.
A location may be closed for exceptional reasons (works, demolition of an exhibition, etc.). Check the location pages on our website for more information before your visit.
Have fun visiting!
Great that you want to visit the O.L.V.-kerk Museum. Did you know that a discounted combiticket also gives access to the adjacent Gruuthusemuseum? Visit this beautifully renovated city palace and enjoy a € 5.00 discount.
We wish you an inspiring museum visit!
Great that you want to visit several museums. Did you know that the advantageous Musea Brugge Card gives free admission for 72 hours to all open locations of Musea Brugge? Return to all offers!
The Musea Brugge Card only becomes active at the start of your first visit. So you could also surprise someone with it!
Have fun visiting!
Nice that you want to book a visit in a group. Due to the corona measures, group visits are limited to a maximum of 10 visitors + 1 guide until 30 September 2021. Due to this limitation, no group rate currently applies. A guide is not standard included in your group visit, if you wish to book a guide, you can contact one of the 3 Bruges guide associations: the Koninklijke Gidsenbond, Hello Bruges or S-wan.
You pay the guide to the guide association you choose.
You can book a guide up to a week in advance.
A group visit can start at the latest at 3 p.m. (Belfort: 5 p.m. or 7 p.m.), the museum closes sharply at 5 p.m. (Belfort 6 or 8 p.m.).
Nice that you want to book a visit in a group. Group visits are limited to a maximum of 20 visitors (or 19 visitors + 1 guide). From 15 paying visitors you are entitled to the group rate and one free guide.
A guide is not standard included in your group visit, if you wish to book a guide, you can contact one of the 3 Bruges guide associations: the Koninklijke Gidsenbond, Hello Bruges or S-wan.
You pay the guide to the guide association you choose.
You can book a guide up to a week in advance.
A group visit can start at the latest at 3 p.m. (Belfort: 5 p.m. or 7 p.m.), the museum closes sharply at 5 p.m. (Belfort 6 or 8 p.m.).
Nice that you wish to book a visit with your class. Due to the corona measures, class visits are limited to a maximum of 25 participants. A guide is not included in your class visit. If you wish to book a guide, please contact one of the three Bruges guide associations: the Koninklijke Gidsenbond, Hello Bruges or S-wan.
You pay the guide to the guide association you choose.
You can book a guide up to a week in advance.
A group visit can start at the latest at 3 p.m. (Belfort: 5 p.m. or 7 p.m.), the museum closes sharply at 5 p.m. (Belfort 6 or 8 p.m.).
Nice of you to join us at our digital Symposium. Please use the field 'Group name' for the name of your organisation or institution.
Dietary wishes or allergies? Please indicate these under "remarks" when placing the order, so we can take them into account.
Thank you for your interest in visiting the Sint-Janshuismolen. We would like to inform you about the limited capacity of the mill.
The Sint-Janshuismolen is not very large, and for safety reasons, we can only accommodate a maximum of 25 students per half hour. To ensure that all students can explore the mill, we will divide the class into two or three groups on-site.
A part of the group will have the opportunity to view the mill from the outside, while the other part can actually enter the mill. After a certain time, the groups will switch so that everyone has a chance to see and experience everything.
We want to ensure that all students have a valuable and educational experience during their visit to the Sint-Janshuismolen. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation in following this arrangement.
Attention: you might be paying too much
Visiting the Stadhuis (City Hall) and the Brugse Vrije? Your ticket for the Stadhuis gives you free access to the Brugse Vrije. A separate ticket for the Brugse Vrije is therefore not necessary. Want to know more?
Delve into the Groeninge Museum's collection
Make your visit even more interesting and buy the visitor's guide with a 10% discount now.
Pay €13.5 instead of €15 at the museum.
Redeem your voucher at the museum box office, guaranteed a fascinating visit.
Catalog Rebel Garden NL/ENG 2024
Make your visit even more interesting by purchasing the catalog of this exhibition now. Redeem your voucher during your visit to the exhibition for a guaranteed fascinating visit.