Liechtenstein, the Princely Collections

Book excerpt: Liechtenstein is one of the smallest European states, a principality situated between Austria and Switzerland in the Upper Rhine Valley. The nation is less than three hundred years old, but the ruling family, whose name it bears, traces its lineage back to the twelfth century. For successive generations, members of the Princely House of Liechtenstein have been devoted art collectors. With a high degree of appreciation of artistic achievement, they have pursued a centuries-long family tradition of acquiring not only great paintings and sculpture but also rare firearms, fine porcelain, and other works of art. The result of this tradition is a collection of masterpieces that in its depth and breadth reflects more than four hundred years of European history and ranks among the world's greatest private collections. This publication accompanies an exhibition at The Metropolitan Museum of Art that marked the first time the masterpieces from this private collection were put on public display. The rich and varied array of paintings, sculpture, and other works included in this exhibition not only represents the paradigm of a great European princely collection, but also has the added distinction of being the collection of the only surviving monarchy of the Holy Roman Empire. -- Metropolitan Museum of Art website.