First mentioned in the twelfth century, the Princely House of Liechtenstein is one of the oldest noble lineages in Europe. Over the centuries the Princes of Liechtenstein devoted themselves to politics with varying degrees of intensity, frequently occupying high-ranking positions at the court of the Habsburg rulers with success. In each case they strove to uphold the tradition of the House of Liechtenstein down the generations and to preserve and enlarge its assets, often with considerable diplomatic and financial acumen. From its beginnings in the sixteenth century, the family’s art collection was shaped by the various interests of each ruling prince. Today the superb quality of its holdings from highly diverse genres makes it one of the largest and most important private collections in the world.
