Reception of the White Monks by the Magistrate and the Notables of the City of Antwerp

Reception of the White Monks by the Magistrate and Notables of Antwerp from 1624 is an unusual departure for Peeters into civic ceremony painting. The Cistercian White Monks—so called for their undyed wool habits—were a significant presence in Flemish religious life, and their formal reception by Antwerp's civic authorities was an event worthy of pictorial commemoration. The canvas reveals that Peeters, though primarily a marine specialist, was capable of handling complex figure groupings and architectural settings. Dating to 1624, it is among his earlier works and may predate his full commitment to marine subjects. The Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp holds it as a document of both religious and civic history.

The canvas prioritises the architectural setting—Antwerp's civic buildings—and figure groups over any marine element. The palette is formal and relatively dark, appropriate to the ceremonial gravity of the subject. Figures are arranged in processional order, with the white-robed monks providing a strong visual contrast against the dignitaries' darker dress.