Of course, several works by our favorite Pieter Brueghel the Younger: three funny proverbs rendered in oils, a lovely atmospheric landscape of a snow-shrouded village – and a really exceptional piece: The Carrying of the Cross. In many ways it is a striking crowd scene. You will be caught by this masterpiece: epic, human, and profound.

Have a deeper look on this St Jerome in the Wilderness by Ambrosius Benson, a recent discovery : we see the saint praying, having put aside his rich cardinal’s robe, which is draped like a red blanket over a nearby branch. Next to him sleeps a lion, because the stories say that he won the love of a lion by removing a thorn from its paw. The lion did so for years without complaint : it’s a Christian example: accept your lot in life, even when it seems unjust.

One of the female portraits on show also stands for moral virtue. This is a beautiful picture of the legendary character of Queen Artemisia. Or the Biblical figure of Mary Magdalene. Maybe a strange conflation of the two? Whoever she is, the lady is sublimely gorgeous.

Our Adam and Eve, by the so-called Master of the Embroidered Foliage, are almost as serene as the queenly Magdalena. This is a rare and so well-preserved example of Flemish Primitives. The verdant foliage in the scene is rendered with such meticulous regularity that it resembles a pattern woven into cloth – hence the by-name of the artist.

Join the Grand Tour and grab a souvenir : Vue de Venise by Gaspar van Wittel (also known as Vanvitelli). The panoramic vista is the most fashionable view of the city, made in 1710, by a Dutch painter who will inspire Canaletto. A precious post-card of what Venice was and should remain!


All these paintings, and many other fascinating pieces, are can seen in our usual spot at Frieze Masters – Stand A1. Take a sneak peek, and do come and see us in Regent’s Park !