Showing posts with label Maria Christine of Austria. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Maria Christine of Austria. Show all posts

Family Tree: Meet Marieˈs Sister Maria Christine

Self Portrait, Maria Christine, Archduchess of Austria (1742-98). Oil on canvas, 1776.  Kunsthistorisches Museum or Schönbrunn Palace.
Maria Christine was the second eldest daughter of Maria Theresa, and was often noted as the empress' favorite daughter. Known as Mimi to the family, she grew up with a keen passion for fine arts, and developed her own skills in the art of drawing and painting.  Her taste for the arts would follow her through adulthood, and she was fortunate enough to share this love with her husband, Albert of Saxony.

Alexandre Roslin, Archduchess Marie Christine, 1778.
Albertina, Vienna (on permanent loan from the Austrian National Library, Vienna)

Her marriage also struck a sore note with her other siblings, as she selected her own husband.  Maria Theresa had many designs for her children, and arranging marriages was a priority.   The first choice for the archduchess was Prince Benedetto of Savoy, but her preferred prince was Albert of Saxony. She may have pulled her favorite daughter card, or perhaps the timing of her entreaties to her mother pulled heart strings (shortly after her fathers' death).  One account mentions the wedding celebrated with black decor, as it was the morning period after the death of Francis I.  Others mention the effort Maria Theresa put forth to make the celebration a happy one, in such a sad time, particularly for the empress.

Anonymous, Albert of Saxe-Teschen, 1777.  Albertina, Vienna.
 Albert, who was four years her senior, and took the title Duke Albert of Saxe-Teschen.  By 1780 they were governors of the Netherlands, only to move to move back to Vienna in 1792. The couple's passion for art led them to own a great art collection which is now housed at the Albertina Museum in  Vienna.  We are fortunate that in 1816, Albert added a bit to his will about the collection, naming [the collection] an "inalienable Habsburg family inheritance."

Rococo Room at Albertina Museum, Vienna. Photograph by Anna Blau.
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Marie Antoinette´s Family Portraits

Swiss artist Jean-Étienne Liotard was a traveller by nature, and took on commissions throughout Europe.  At the height of his successes he was painting for Europe's aristocracy, anyone who was anyone knew of the painter's talent for portraits.  Heather is featuring his works of two royal families in England on her blog. You may recognize some of his more famous works, this regal portrait of Empress Maria Theresa and Louis XV's daughter Adelaid de France, in Turkish dress.


At the time, he was most famous for his pastel drawings. It is easy to see why when looking at the delicate portraits he did of Marie Antoinette's brothers and sisters.  Each daughter and son of the Empress Maria Theresa is shown showing off their many accomplishments, from writing to drawing.  Some even play with a little toy, no doubt used to subdue an impatient child. 

This impressive collection demonstrates the artist eye for light and color. Using only a small palette his figures seem to glow under lights, their skin almost translucent and very soft. With tones of black and white, and a little red, the figures have depth and a lot of character.

Portrait de l'archiduchesse Marie-Anne d'Autriche. 1762, Black chalk, red chalk, graphite pencil, watercolor, gouache glaze and washes of white chalk. Museum of Art and History, Geneva. 
Portrait de l'archiduchesse Marie-Christine d'Autriche. 1762, Black chalk, red chalk, graphite pencil and watercolor glazes.  Museum of Art and History, Geneva. 

Portrait de l'archiduchesse Marie-Elisabeth d'Autriche.  1762, Black chalk, red chalk, graphite pencil, watercolor glazes and watercolor. Museum of Art and History, Geneva.

Portrait de l'archiduchesse Marie-Amélie d'Autriche. 1762, red chalk, black chalk, graphite pencil and watercolor . Museum of Art and History, Geneva.


Portrait de l'archiduc Pierre-Léopold d'Autriche, futur empereur Léopold II d'Allemagne. 1762, Chalk, black chalk, graphite pencil and watercolor. Museum of Art and History, Geneva.

Portrait de l'archiduchesse Jeanne-Gabrielle d'Autriche. 1762, Chalk, black chalk, graphite pencil and watercolor glazes. Museum of Art and History, Geneva.

Portrait de l'archiduchesse Marie-Josèphe d'Autriche. 1762, red chalk, black chalk, graphite pencil and watercolor glazes. Museum of Art and History, Geneva.

Portrait de l'archiduchesse Marie-Caroline d'Autriche. 1762, red and black chalk, watercolor and pastel. Museum of Art and History, Geneva. 
 
Portrait de l'archiduc Ferdinand-Karl-Anton d'Autriche. 1762, Black chalk, red chalk, pencil and graphite gray glaze. Museum of Art and History, Geneva.

Portrait de l'archiduchesse Marie-Antoinette. 1762, Black chalk, graphite pencil, watercolor and pastel. Museum of Art and History, Geneva.

Portrait de l'archiduc Maximilien-Franz d'Autriche. 1762, Black chalk, red chalk, graphite pencil, pastel and watercolor glazes.  Museum of Art and History, Geneva.
Can't get enough?  Tomorrow an exhibition of Liotard's works opens up at the Musée d'art et d'histoire in Genève.  The show is called Jean-Étienne Liotard: An exceptional display, and will run from May 26, 2011 through October 2, 2011. Worth the visit, and by the way, it is free! If you go, let us know all about it!

Musée d'art et d'histoire, Rue Charles-Galland 2
Open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Closed on Monday
website
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Exhibition: Vienna Circa 1780

"...the splendor of royal dining during the ancien régime"

Vienna Circa 1780: An Imperial Silver Service Rediscovered is on view now through November 11, 2010.  The exhibition features an amazing dining service on display in the Wrightsman Galleries. Why is this service so wonderful? It was made for the Duke Albert Casimir of Sachsen–Teschen and his wife Marie Christine, Marie Antoinette's older sister! The service was used at their banquets, and you can just imagine the table which it occupied...

The set took roughly four years to make, and was created for the royal couple by the court imperial goldsmith Josef Würth.  Over the years the pieces were split up but in 2002 two wine coolers were discovered in a private collection.  Now the Metropolitan Museum has on display the enormous set of over 300 pieces; wine coolers, plates, candlesticks, cloche &c.  It is well worth a visit.  The set has not been on display since the early twentieth century so do not miss your opportunity!

Würth was very talented, as you can see from this detail of the wine coolers,which serve as a focal point of the set.  The design is neoclassical, the details cast shadows and the metal reflects light.  The effect creates a wide range of contrast, making the scene pop out to the viewer.  You will be pretty amazed at the detail and time that went into creating these pieces.

If you cannot make it to the show before December, you can get a copy of the exhibition catalog here: Vienna Circa 1780: An Imperial Silver Service Rediscovered (Metropolitan Museum of Art).  The catalog and exhibition look at the dining service and others of that time period and consider the broader idea of dining room etiquette and ceremony.
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