THE BEAST IS BACK!
On the 360th anniversary of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp, we reactivate our old logo! The winged ox (or bull) with the coat of arms of the Antwerp St Lucas guild is a design by graphic artist Eduard Pellens and dates from the beginning of the last century. The winged ox symbolizes the evangelist Luke, of whom it is claimed that he painted the very first portrait of St Mary. This is why he became the patron saint of painters and visual artists. Since the 15th century, the winged ox has represented the Antwerp artists' guild and, from 1760, the Antwerp Academy.
By bringing this powerful symbol to life, we mark our uniqueness: that of an art school with roots in the past and branches into the future.