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Document Details : Title: Karel Alexander van Lotharingen en David Roentgen Subtitle: Een unieke relatie Author(s): BAARSEN, Reinier Journal: Tijdschrift voor Interieurgeschiedenis en Design Volume: 39 Date: 2014-2016 Pages: 23-35 DOI: 10.2143/GBI.39.0.3170114 Abstract : The enormous art collections of Charles Alexander of Lorraine, governor of the Austrian Netherlands from 1744/49 until his death in 1780, were auctioned for the larger part in the year after his death. His palace in Brussels, i.e. the old Hof van Nassau (Court of Nassau) that he had completely rebuilt and modernised, was badly damaged and mutilated as early as the 1790s during the time of the French occupation, and it was later largely demolished. Consequently the governor’s role as a maecenas was soon rather forgotten and never properly judged on its true merit. Recent research has shown that Charles Alexander of Lorraine was one of the most original and unconventional princely patrons in Europe during the second half of the eighteenth century. The creative part that the governor played as a maecenas can be perfectly demonstrated by means of the exceptional works of art that David Roentgen from Neuwied, the most famous cabinet-maker in Europe, created for him. During the preparations for the large exhibition on Roentgen that was held at the Metropolitan Museum in New York during the winter of 2012, it became evident that Charles Alexander of Lorraine may be regarded as Roentgen’s most influential patron. |
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