Dankuwel Antwerpen!

This is a good week to be thankful and I am especially grateful to everyone who made the launch of De meester van de schaduw in Antwerp such a success. Pub day itself began with a formal launch at the Rubenshuis, presided over by director Ben van Beneden and Rubens scholar Leen Huet.

Attendees, including some twenty Antwerpers who had won space in a lottery held by the Gazet van Antwerpen (the city’s major daily), then followed me on a tour of Rubens sites (the home of Nickolaas Rockox, the Cathedral), culminating with a champagne reception at City Hall. By tradition, we ended the day with a round of Bollekes at the Engel. A few links and images: ATV’s segment on me and the book on the show Onder Cover. A tour of Antwerp and interview with journalist Ann Rootveld for the Radio1 program Mezzo, “Special Agent Rubens.”