Get to know the Arenbergs

06/11/2018

The noble line of Arenberg has been among the most influential families in the Low Countries for centuries. The name shrouds an illustrious history. Two exhibitions in Leuven can introduce you to their legacy today.

You can explore the heritage of House Arenberg until 20 January 2019 at the exhibitions ‘Power and Beauty’ and ‘Noble Living’, at the M-Museum and the University Library in Leuven respectively.

The Arenbergs were among the most prominent noble families in these parts between 1550 and 1800. They owned many estates and were respected diplomats. Even today, it remains a well-known name that has left traces all across Belgium. Besides countless street names, the Egmont Palace in Brussels, Arenberg Castle in Heverlee and Haultepenne Castle in Flémalle are just a few examples of their legacy that Leopold Engelbert van Arenberg, the present Duke of Arenberg and Aarschot, would now like to bring to the wider public.

The Duke would like to introduce the people to his family history. Accompanying this history is their art collection, as the family was voracious in their pursuit of artworks. The public can admire a selection of these during the two exhibitions in Leuven, at the M-Museum and the University Library. Some of the more remarkable items are paintings by Peter Paul Rubens and Jan Brueghel the Elder, and a hand-written score by Antonio Vivaldi.