Support us to purchase an embroidery with great story value
Feel the heartbeat of history
Will you make the heart of the castle beat a little faster?
Gaasbeek Castle: 800 years of turbulent history and 101 years of a museum presence. A location peppered with stories from across the centuries, all of which flow effortlessly into one another. Here, you will meet the former residents and feel their heartbeat through the extraordinary castle collection. To reinforce the story of the last marquise, we would like to purchase a seventeenth-century embroidery, a silent witness to the warm friendship between marquise Marie Arconati Visconti and Laure Lorthioir-De Mot, daughter of Emile De Mot, lawyer and liberal mayor of Brussels from 1899 to 1909, among other things.
Marie Arconati Visconti
A century ago, the last marquise of Gaasbeek passed away. She implemented the castle's romantic restyling at the end of the 19th century and set it up as a museum for her immense art collection. She carved out a role for herself as an activist and intellectual in a male-dominated world. Even today, she is often accused of misogyny, a stigma we would like to both refute and nuance.
Not only did Marie greatly admire the famous and infamous Sarah Bernhardt, she also maintained some very warm friendships with women. Her preserved correspondence with Laure Lorthioir-De Mot is a case in point. The embroidery is a beautiful testament to this friendship. It belonged to the marquise until she gifted it to her dear friend Laure.
Arbre de vie
The 17th-century embroidery depicts a tree of life created by God in the Garden of Eden, as described in the story of the creation. Two angels kneel at the foot of the tree, with incense. The smoke symbolises the prayer that ascends to God. The entire composition is arranged vertically and must be read from bottom to top. The leaves of the tree reach up to the clouds, where angelic musicians dwell. At the top, against a sky-blue background, it is adorned with a medallion with the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ, his monogram (IHS) and the cross. A circle of angels surround the medallion.
This embroidery is a beautiful example of the fine craftsmanship in the seventeenth century. Two techniques were combined, notably the large 'point lancé' or span stitch and the more refined 'point Saint-Cyr', a diagonal variation of the 'petit point' or half cross stitch, for the more delicate areas, such as the faces. The richness of the piece is also clear from the choice of materials used, particularly silk and metal wire for the contours. This is an exceptional piece of very high quality.
Support us
Would you like to help us to acquire this unique piece with an amazing story and have it restored. You can do so by means of a donation to the 'Culturele Mecenaatsrekening' via the King Baudouin Foundation. We are extremely grateful for all kind donations. Once we have received enough donations to purchase it, you will be able to come and admire the piece in the Bedroom of the marquise in Gaasbeek Castle.