THE CONSTANT PRINCE
Joseph Wenzel and his Art
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1.3.2022 – 31.3.2022
Wien, Gartenpalais Liechtenstein, Damenappartements und Historische Bibliothek
One of the most important personalities of his time, as a collector of art, diplomat and military strategist he played a part in shaping the history of Europe and left an enduring mark on the Princely House of Liechtenstein. To mark the 250th anniversary of his death on 10 February, the Princely Collections are devoting a temporary exhibition to Prince Joseph Wenzel I von Liechtenstein (1696–1772) at the Liechtenstein Garden Palace, which can be visited free of charge. It is the first in a new series of annual exhibitions called MARCH AT THE PALACE.
Selected works of art, letters and documents from the Princely Collections – many of which are otherwise kept in the private apartments of the Princely Family – together with major loans delineate the life of an individual who in many respects stood at the centre of the Habsburg Monarchy.
In addition, a large number of masterpieces that were commissioned or acquired by Joseph Wenzel I in his role as a leading patron of art will be on display in Vienna once again as loans, for the first time since they were sold from the Collections in the 1950s. These include two vedutas by Giovanni Antonio Canal, called Canaletto from the series of four monumental views of Venice acquired by the prince, which show the atmosphere and life of the city in a wealth of precisely rendered detail.
Two views of the Saxon fortress of Königstein near Dresden, painted by Bernardo Bellotto at the height of his powers, capture all the facets of this imposing complex. In private ownership, they have been carefully restored and are here on public display for the first time since their sale. They will complete the two views of the summer palace in the Rossau, commissioned in Vienna by Prince Joseph Wenzel I from Bellotto when he visited the city in 1759/60 on his way to Warsaw and Dresden, and which still remain in the Princely Collections.
Four genre pictures by Jean-Siméon Chardin, also acquired by Prince Joseph Wenzel I, allow us to immerse ourselves in the world of eighteenth-century France. They are today held in the two great national galleries of North America, the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa and the National Gallery in Washington, and are also coming to Vienna as valuable loans.
In Paris, where he also acquired many other artworks, enamels and above all books for his extensive library, Prince Joseph Wenzel I commissioned the Golden Carriage, one of the most superb examples of eighteenth-century Parisian coach-building. It was created by the French ornamental designer Nicolas Pineau for the prince’s ceremonial entry into Paris on 21 December 1738 and two days later at Versailles, and was also to serve him when he escorted Princess Isabella of Parma, the bride of the future Emperor Joseph II, from her native city to Vienna in 1760. One of the few examples of its kind to survive the French Revolution, this magnificent ceremonial coach will be one of the highlights of the exhibition, marking the start of the tour in the Sala terrena.
François Boucher (1703–1770), Nicolas Pineau (1684–1754), The Golden Carriage of Prince Joseph Wenzel I von Liechtenstein, 1738
Discover the Golden Carriage in 3D
Letters and documents as well as prestigious gifts attest to the very personal relationship that Joseph Wenzel, ‘most excellent citizen and true friend’, enjoyed with Empress Maria Theresa, and to the lifelong bond between the ‘constant prince’ and King Frederick the Great of Prussia. Together with portraits painted at different stages of Prince Joseph Wenzel’s life, they will tell the story of this fascinating personality.
THE CONSTANT PRINCE – Joseph Wenzel and his art
Liechtenstein Garden Palace, Ladies’ Apartments and Historical Library
1 March 2022–31 March 2022 | daily 11 am–7 pm | free admission | exhibition in collaboration with Albertina, Vienna
During MARCH AT THE PALACE additional guided tours of the permanent exhibition on the piano nobile of the Garden Palace will be scheduled. Guided tours in German will be offered at reduced admission charges.*
* Please note that the exhibition galleries at the Liechtenstein Garden Palace and City Palace, the sale of tickets, and the events and guided tours at both palaces are operated by Liechtenstein Gruppe AG. The contract partner for your tour reservation is Liechtenstein Gruppe AG.
March at the Palace
The temporary exhibition is the first in a new series entitled MARCH AT THE PALACE, which will be presented annually and can be viewed free of charge. It will focus on individual princes, the history of princely collecting, new acquisitions, restoration projects and different fields within the Collections, exploring new contexts and connections. Between 1 and 31 March guided tours of the permanent exhibition in the galleries of the piano nobile will be offered at more frequent intervals and reduced admission charges. For more information click here.
