<exchanging gazes>  6:   Reflections. From Van Eyck to Magritte

The depiction of reflections on the surfaces of objects within a painting is a recurring motif in painting and one that fascinated numerous artists from the 15^th century onwards due to its pictorial potential. The interplay between the real and the reflected image is now the chosen subject for a new installation of works from the Museum’s Permanent Collection, in which Old and Modern Masters are juxtaposed in the same space. In this new edition of <exchanging gazes> artists of different periods reveal their technical mastery by using metals, glass and mirrors to reflect details outside the pictorial space or hidden within the scene. On occasions they even offer a display of artistic narcissism by using this device to depict themselves painting behind their easels. The visual game becomes fully evident in this new installation, encouraging the viewer to raise questions about what is reality and what is reflection in each painting.