Rockox House

In Antwerp’s historic Keizerstraat stands the Snijders&Rockox House, a museum preserving the atmosphere of the seventeenth century. Behind its elegant Renaissance facades lies the story of two influential figures from the city’s Golden Age: Nicolaas Rockox and Frans Snijders.

Nicolaas Rockox was a prominent politician and patron of culture. As alderman and later burgomaster, he played a key role in Antwerp’s flourishing era. His home was not just a residence but also a meeting place for artists and intellectuals. Here, masterpieces by Rubens, Van Dyck, and Bruegel adorned the walls, while ideas were exchanged that shaped the cultural history of Antwerp. His close friendship with Rubens even inspired iconic works such as Samson and Delilah.

Next to Rockox’s residence stands the Snijders House, the former home of the renowned still-life painter Frans Snijders. Though smaller in scale, this part of the museum offers insight into the life and work of an artist who lived next door to Rockox for twenty years. Snijders’ paintings, filled with lively scenes of animals, flowers, and food, perfectly complemented Rockox’s refined collection.