More than meets the eye: the five senses in Netherlandish art
Thu, May 14
|Royal Academy of Arts
RA Member Event: explore the history of the senses throughout Netherlandish art, from Peter Paul Rubens to Michaelina Wautier, with Mariska!
Time & Location
May 14, 2026, 11:00 AM – 12:15 PM
Royal Academy of Arts, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London W1J 0BD, UK
About the Event
John Madejski Fine Rooms | Burlington House
Join art historian Mariska Beekenkamp-Wladimiroff as she explores the history of the senses throughout Netherlandish art, from Peter Paul Rubens to Michaelina Wautier.
In Netherlandish art from the early modern period, the five senses were more than experiences to be felt—they functioned as a theme, a visual language and a vehicle for moral and religious discourse.
This lecture explores how painters depicted sight, sound, taste, smell, and touch in taverns, markets and domestic scenes, inviting viewers to consider how art evokes all our sensorial experiences while interrogating the boundary between pleasure and morality.
Please note This event is only open to Friends of the RA, House Members, Patrons and RA Supporters. You will be taken to the RA website for booking.