Eduard Ströhling (before 1766 – c. 1828/29), Portrait of Prince Alois I von Liechtenstein (1759–1805), before 1794
The Princes of Liechtenstein. Lords of the land of Opava and Krnov
Opava, Slezské zemské muzeum (Opava, Silesian Museum)
The acquisition of the Silesian principalities at the beginning of the 17th century marked a turning point in the power and economic rise of the Liechtenstein family. To commemorate the 410th anniversary of the acquisition of the Principality of Opava (Troppau) and the 400th anniversary of the acquisition of the Principality of Krnov (Jägerndorf) by Karl I von Liechtenstein, the exhibition will showcase the historical significance of the family and its impact on the consolidation and development of the region during the early modern period.
As Dukes and as landlords in their chamber estates (“Kammergüter”), the Princes of Liechtenstein played a decisive role in the political administration and in the economic development of their Silesian possessions. They were particularly active in forestry and metallurgy. These activities created part of the economic conditions to finance their generous patronage and extensive building projects, which were carried out mainly in their possessions along the Moravian-Austrian border and in Vienna.
The exhibition will also focus on the centers of princely administration in the region, namely the Opava and Krnov castles, as well as the local nobility that participated in the political administration of both principalities. Furthermore, the exhibition will highlight the re-Catholicization movement, the stabilization of confessional conditions in the Silesian principalities after the Thirty Years’ War, and the development of Baroque culture of piety, with the founding of a Jesuit college in Opava and the active promotion of the Franciscan order in Krnov being important markers here. It will also explore the role of the Princes of Liechtenstein in modern times, particularly their support of social and cultural associations and other activities that emerged from the mid-19th century onwards, as well as their involvement in the preservation of architectural monuments and their sponsorship of museums. The exhibition will showcase a selection of important artistic commissions that the Princes of Liechtenstein initiated from the 17th to the 20th century, including sculptural works and historicizing architecture in the exhibition building of the Opava Art and Industry Museum, which was built from 1893 to 1895 with the active support of Prince Johann II von Liechtenstein (1840–1929) on the site of the former Opava Castle, demolished in 1891/92, highlighting their patronage and significance in the development of the region’s culture.
