Exhibition: 600 years of Anselm Adornes

12 Jul

Glory and misfortune of a 15th Century Traveller

13/04/2024 - 04/01/2025

In this exhibition, we draw attention to one of the most remarkable aspects of Anselm Adornes' existence: his travels. He undertook these journeys for diplomatic or religious reasons but also for his pleasure. They shaped his personality and his prestigious reputation.

Throughout the exhibition, you follow a route that takes Anselm to Scotland, Italy and Poland, as well as to the sultanate of Tunis, Alexandria and, of course, Sinai and Jerusalem. There he discovers the dilemmas that can arise, the often gruelling travelling conditions and the crucial importance of choosing the right travelling companions.

The answers may have changed, but the traveller's questions have remained largely the same. The exhibition reminds us that travel is an opportunity, sometimes a danger, but always a source of personal enrichment and a lesson in tolerance.

A number of exceptional objects will be on display, some for the first time in decades: drawings and portraits of Anselm Adornes and his wife Margareta van der Banck, the extraordinary reliquary of the Resurrection and a safe-conduct from Charles the Bold are just a few examples.

We are very grateful that we could count on the support of the National Lottery to organise this exhibition.