Books occupied a special place in Raoul Warocqué's life. When he died in 1917, his library kept more than 33,000 volumes reflecting his interests in humanities, science and heritage.

Assembled by Raoul Warocqué, with the expert advice of Franz Cumont, Mariemont’s collection of Greek and Roman sculptures is one of the largest in Europe.

Very little is currently known by specialists or the general public about the majority of Mariemont’s coins and medals. And yet these numismatic collections are immense and varied, spanning the East and West and from Antiquity to the early 20th century.

Mariemont’s collections include textiles, garments and vast quantities of lace that are calling out to be examined. Some of the pieces belonged to Raoul Warocqué’s display collection. Others hail from the wardrobes of the women of the Warocqué family.

The notion of decorative arts is itself problematic. It reflects the tension between the utilitarian and aesthetic values of the objects in question.