MOU is staging a first: an international exhibition dedicated to an exceptional woman, Margaret of Parma, daughter of Charles V and Johanna Van der Gheynst, in her hometown of Oudenaarde.

Portraits and splendid objects that Margaret cherished or commissioned will be brought together for the first time in 500 years. A magnificent banquet evoking “the feast of the century” will be organized for the occasion. All further enlivened by contemporary interventions by photographer Lieve Blancquaert and lutenist Floris De Rycker.

Margaret of Parma (1522–1586) was no minor figure: she was governor of the Netherlands during a turbulent time at the beginning of the Eighty Years’ War. She was also a society figure in Italy. Moreover, she was a true art lover and patron. It is high time this fascinating figure was given her proper place in history.

A first
The exhibition introduces you to a grande dame of the turbulent 16th century. Famous portraits, major art commissioned by Margaret and intimate possessions that reveal the woman as she really was: they are reunited in Oudenaarde. Paintings and drawings, tapestries and miniatures, gold and silverware, stained-glass windows and other precious objects immerse you in the art and culture of the 16th century, a turning point in European history. Learn about the rituals and traditions of the time: the (falcon) hunt, feasts, etiquette and dress code, rituals, music and more.

Contemporary
Photographer Lieve Blancquaert portrays modern “Margarets,” bringing them together in an impressive installation in Pamele’s Church of Our Lady, where Margaret was baptized. Who are the Margarets of our time? What does Margaret stand for in 2024? Do we recognize universal women’s themes? Lutenist Floris De Rycker has developed an atmospheric soundscape specially for the exhibition: contemporary, but with echoes of the music at Margaret’s court.