In 741, Count Robrecht I of Haspengouw donated a large piece of land with a church to the abbey of Sint-Trudo in Sint-Truiden. In this charter or document, Donk is mentioned for the first time as Dungo. At that time the church stood on a dungo, a rise in the lower swamp of the Schulensbroek. There is nothing left of this church, it was located about two kilometers further north than the statue. Because of the many floods there, the current church was built in 1752.
The artwork is by Caroline Coolen (°Bree 1975). She is the laureate of the competition organized in 2014 by the Herk-de-Stad Visual Arts Committee. The work of art is cast in bronze and patinated in various shades of color. The artist depicts Robrecht van Haspengouw with a high degree of movement, dynamics and expression. Robrecht is in a kneeling position. It symbolizes the submissive knight who gives away his possessions. At that time, noblemen were recognized by their long hair and beard. The common people should cut their hair short. The clothing is loose, the skin footwear is laced with crossed straps. His cloak, fluttering like a rolling landscape, refers to the dungo. The statue was inaugurated on September 25, 2016 during the Official opening of the renovated center of Donk.