Guided tour of the exhibition The shadow of the bottle
Sat, 22 Aug 2026 · 14:00
Jenevermuseum Hasselt, Hasselt
€10
Ready to delve into the new exhibition at the Jenever Museum together with curators Margo Buelens-Terryn and Bart G. Moens? What is the exhibition about? At the end of the nineteenth century, a fierce battle broke out against the temptations and dangers of alcohol. Reformers, doctors, and religious organizations used the most spectacular forms of media for this: magic lanterns, wax figures, theater, and early film. Their campaigns were emotionally charged and visually particularly powerful. Because what you see and feel hits harder than what you hear or read. The Shadow of the Bottle brings this forgotten visual culture back to life. The exhibition shows how popular media managed to convince a mass audience in the fight against alcohol abuse. In addition, it reveals an extensive and largely unknown image archive that testifies to an early attempt at behavioral change. The visual strategies of that time turn out to be surprisingly current and shed new light on our own media culture. The battle for attention, for conviction, and for steering behavior is older than we think. Central to this is the magic of the magic lantern: dramatic scenes, recognizable family stories, and scientific images that were intended to warn and move the audience. But the magic lantern did not stand alone. Posters, printed matter, music, theater, and later also the first film together formed one convincing image machine. Each medium reinforced the message, each image left a trace behind. Curious about how spectacle, emotion, and technology grew together into one of the earliest media campaigns in our history? Step inside and let yourself be carried away by (the shadow of) the light. Practical Saturday, July 18 from 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM Price: €10 per person Chat afterwards in a cozy atmosphere with a free drink in the tasting room. To maintain the atmosphere of the exhibition, only 15 tickets are available. Would you like to be there? Register in time. ,