‘Art that Moves’: an exhibition about private donations

How important are donations for a museum?

Marjan Debaene, Head Curator of Old Masters: “Extremely important. The heart of most museums is their core collection, and the same holds true for M. Had we not received several significant donations in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, our museum would be vastly different. Donations do occasionally come in, but they typically consist of individual pieces or small groups of related objects. But during that period, major collectors donated their entire collections to us, hundreds and hundreds of pieces.”

Anne Liefsoens, Collections and Library Assistant: “I’m currently writing my master’s thesis on this subject. These donations perfectly captured the spirit of that time. Belgium was a relatively new nation, and many art and heritage lovers, particularly from the bourgeoisie, were eager to contribute to the development of the country’s and region’s identity. One way of doing this was by collecting local art and objects. And if you really meant business, to donate this collection to the local museum. This allowed everyone to enjoy the works and experience that identity. This phenomenon can be observed not only in Leuven, but also in Antwerp, Brussels, Liège, and many other cities.

Why is M currently dedicating an exhibition to private collections?

Marjan: “In 2023 we concluded two major loan agreements for entire private collections. That is unique for us, and relatively rare. We were in the fortunate position that the families approached us, and that our visions collided. The owners have the certainty that their collection will be preserved and researched in the appropriate manner, and we can meaningfully enrich the collection within the criteria of our acquisition policy. Furthermore, we have the opportunity to display the works to our audience and even organize exhibitions that were previously out of our reach. Because artworks are, of course, meant to be seen.”

Anne: “These loans sparked an idea: we should create an exhibition on our relationship with private collectors. We can delve deeper into the reasons why people collect and donate these works. Moreover, we can also show all these beautiful works to our audience.” 

Marjan: “Of course, we already exhibit loans from private collections in M-Collection – for example, the portrait of Marguerite of Lorraine by Anthony van Dyck, or the works of Albrecht Bouts. But this is truly the first time that they serve as the starting point for an exhibition, and that you can see so many of them together. As they were collected, so to speak. Therefore, we can delve into the collections and the stories that surround them. Because time and time again, we notice that there is a great deal of emotion wrapped up in these collections. Not only in the works themselves, but in what they have meant to the owners – all the love that they have poured into them. This is why we chose the title ‘Art That Moves’. It resonates on multiple levels: the artworks are physically transported to the museum, but they also have a powerful impact on viewers. The collectors in the first instance, because otherwise they would never have purchased those works and kept them their whole lives. But hopefully the visitors too.”