Description
A Window into 1937 Brussels Art History
This is a genuine piece of museum history—an original exhibition poster from 1937 promoting a Rubens retrospective at the Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts in Brussels. It’s the kind of poster that would’ve hung in galleries and on street corners to draw crowds to see Old Master sketches. And it’s genuinely rare to find them in such good condition.
The Image: Cupid & the Dolphin
The poster features a beautiful classical image: Cupid (the Roman god of love) riding a dolphin like a playful bridle, holding his bow and quiver of arrows. It’s pulled directly from a 1636 Rubens oil painting housed in that same Brussels museum. According to the Latin poet Ovid’s Metamorphoses, Cupid’s preparing to shoot his love arrows to conquer hearts for Venus. It’s got this wonderful sense of impatience and playfulness—perfect for capturing what makes Rubens’ work so alive and dynamic.
Design That Works
The poster pairs this classical, sensual image with clean, bold typography. “EXPOSITION” sits above in lowercase, with “ESQUISSES” in striking orange-red. It’s modernist and restrained—a 1930s approach that respects the art without fussing over it. The printing quality is excellent, done right there in Belgium.
Authentic & Collectible
This is an original lithograph, linen-backed and genuinely rare. It’s not a reproduction. You’re holding actual exhibition history—the real poster that promoted this show decades ago. Comes with a Certificate of Authenticity.
Perfect For
Museum lovers, Rubens enthusiasts, art history collectors, and anyone drawn to the intersection of classical art and modernist design.
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