Expressive body: memory, devotion, desire (1400-1750)

Images of the human body can cause deep physical and emotional reactions. For viewers of the 15-18th centuries, works of art were not just aesthetic objects worthy of admiration: they activated memory, inspired devotion and aroused desire. According to the medical and religious thought of that time, images of human figures acted both on the soul and body, which were considered deeply interconnected. The portrait could “make an absent gift” as if the person depicted was still made of flesh and blood; portraying a suffering martyr can cause the viewer to empathize or even feel his or her torment; and the representations of beautiful lovers can lead to the conception of beautiful and healthy children.

At the exhibition "Expressive body: memory, devotion, desire (1400-1750)"Presents 75 paintings, drawings, prints and sculptures from the collections of the museum. Through these objects, the exposition reveals the historically affective power of the human form, which connects viewers with the richness of human experience.