Two emblematic works from the Treasure of Oignies are part of the exhibition Par-delà les Mille et Une Nuits. Histoires des orientalismes at the Louvre-Lens Museum, from 25 March to 20 July, 2026, thanks to a loan from the King Baudouin Foundation.
Works from a cultural crossroads
Among the works loaned to the Louvre Lens Museum are two pieces from the Treasure of Oignies. The first is a reliquary cross from the Holy Cross, known as the Byzantine Cross, and it is a perfect illustration of the exhibition’s scientific ambition to highlight the diversity of cultural exchanges and how Oriental objects were integrated, reinterpreted and glorified in the treasuries of European churches. The second piece is a reliquary vase, said to be ‘of Saint Hedwige’, thanks to its Near Eastern origin, its rarity and documented history, which bear witness to early artistic and spiritual exchanges between the East and West during the 12th and 13th centuries.
The Par-delà les Mille et Une Nuits exhibition
Par-delà les Mille et Une Nuits. Histoires des orientalismes (Beyond the Arabian Nights. Stories of Orientalism) is an exhibition that explores exchanges that took place between East and West from the Middle Ages up to the present day. It examines not only the objects themselves, but also their trajectories, through their creation, journeys, transformation and the stories that accompanied them. The exhibition analyses different aspects of Orientalism, namely the various perceptions and representations of the Orient in Europe, through a chronological and critical approach that highlights cross-cultural influences from Paris to Isfahan and from the Alhambra to Cairo. The exhibition presents for the first time a remarkable selection of works from the Islamic Arts Department of the Louvre Museum in Paris, together with works loaned from elsewhere in France and Belgium. It is further enriched by commentaries from contemporary artists who offer current interpretations of these precious legacies, inviting us to rethink cultural exchanges between the past, present and future.
The Treasure of Oignies
Comprising a total of some fifty pieces, the Treasure of Oignies is a collection of Gothic silverware of exceptional quality. The King Baudouin Foundation is responsible for safeguarding this priceless ensemble, which is on long-term loan to the Archaeological Society of Namur and exhibited at the TreM.a., the Namur Museum of Ancient Arts. Thanks to its elegant sophistication and technical mastery, the rare and precious materials used, the excellent state of preservation and its amazing history, this magnificent and rare 13th century treasure today enjoys an international reputation. In 1978, the Treasure of Oignies was listed as one of the Seven Wonders of Belgium and in 2010, 32 of the Treasure’s pieces were listed as Exceptional Moveable Cultural Heritage by the Wallonia-Brussels Federation.
Through this loan, the King Baudouin Foundation is once more confirming its commitment to the preservation and promotion of Belgian heritage and to enabling important works to be discovered by a wide public, in Belgium and beyond.
Practical information:
Par-delà les Mille et Une Nuits. Histoires des orientalismes
Louvre Lens Museum
99 Rue Paul Bert 62300 Lens France
From 25 March, 2026 to 20 July, 2026 Open every day from 10h to 18h. Closed on Tuesdays.