In honour of the 80th birthday of Prince Hans-Adam II von und zu Liechtenstein, the Princely House of Liechtenstein is celebrating its recent acquisition of Giambologna’s Mars – one of the most famous small bronzes of the late Italian Renaissance – by making it the centrepiece of a new exhibition.

The Princely Collections are guests at the Liechtenstein National Museum and are exhibiting this very special highlight from their collection for the first time.

Liechtenstein endures the six years of World War II without occupation or destruction. Nevertheless, as a neutral country without an army, it is in constant danger. With its 11’000 inhabitants, it lay between warring Germany and the armed neutral Switzerland. While it can lean on Switzerland for support, it faces the threat of annexation from Germany, the so-called Third Reich. This prospect is supported by local followers of National Socialism, which lead to societal division. Life is difficult for the people, and Liechtenstein's future as an independent state is uncertain.

The opening on Wdnesday, May 8 2025 6pm can also be followed or watched via livestream.

Have you ever wondered how much art is contained in a postage stamp? Or how a tiny image can tell entire stories about Liechtenstein?

The painter and graphic artist Josef Seger (1908-1998) was born in Vaduz but spent most of his life living and working in Austria. He is one of Liechtenstein’s most important stamp designers.

Between 1945 and 1977, with 69 designs, he decisively shaped the face of Liechtenstein’s stamp world. His motifs range from the Princely House to Christmas, as well as popular depictions of animals and sports - many of which are today regarded as small milestones in the art of stamp design. Seger’s creations are distinguished by artistic quality, thematic variety, and meticulous detail.

The exhibition presents the original designs for these stamps, along with around 30 unpublished drafts and studies of animals and landscapes. It invites visitors to rediscover Seger’s artistic signature and to experience the breadth of his inspiration.

Throughout his life, the trustee and banker Guido Feger was an enthusiastic and knowledgeable art collector. When he died in 1976, he bequeathed to the Liechtenstein National Museum a unique figure of the Enthroned Virgin. Later, further important pieces were added, so that today the museum houses a significant part of Guido Feger’s art collection.

Feger collected primarily sacred works. His particular interest was devoted to representations of the Virgin Mary. To these the National Museum dedicates its small Christmas exhibition, tracing through them aspects of the veneration of Mary.