Messages

1

The Habsburgs / Re: Empress Maria Theresa and her large family

« on: December 17, 2019, 06:38:58 AM »

Beautiful portrait of Maria Elisabeth at the Louvre:

https://www.photo.rmn.fr/CS.aspx?VP3=SearchResult&VBID=2CO5PCZJGGRR3&SMLS=1&RW=1440&RH=789

Elisabeth by Auerbach:

https://veryimportantlot.com/en/lot/view/auerbach-johann-karl-carl-maria-elisabeth-jose-212523

2

The Habsburgs / Re: Empress Maria Theresa and her large family

« on: December 17, 2019, 05:52:10 AM »

I solved a little archduchess portrait problem which has been nagging at me for years, recently - to my own satisfaction, at any rate.

Bonhams included a notice stating it could not be Maria Amalia (as Johann Gottfried died in 1753, Maria Amalia would only have been eight).....The Neumeister portrait, however, suggests quite strongly that the Auerbach who painted the Bonhams portrait, was actually Johann Carl, and the date close in time to that of the portrait of Maria Elisabeth, and therefore the subject of the portrait might indeed be Maria Amalia, aged around 17, rather than Maria Anna, aged around 25.  I have to say, though, the face still resembles Maria Anna more to me but confusing painters with similar names rather than the subject of the painting seems more likely.  I suppose the owners of the painting would have known it as "the portrait of Archduchess Maria Amalia by Auerbach", and since the only Auerbach of note was Johann Gottfried, Bonhams made a natural error.  The two paintings look rather nice together as a pair.

Thank you for that CountessKate. It's been puzzling me too. Amalia didn't look like a child, certainly at least a teenager.

Here is a link to a group portrait by van Meytens (Marianne, Joseph, Liesl, Charles and the last one is tentatively identified as Amalia - but who else could've worn a lace cap when the portrait was done? Certainly not Mimi. And it does look like Amalia. Also, from 1745-1750, Johanna was just a baby so not her). This one looks similar to another  group portrait, except without Mimi and Leopold.

It is found at the Hungarian National Museum. 

https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/the-children-of-maria-theresa-martin-van-meytens-circle/gAEKpaSh9CYWCA

3

Italian Royal Families / Re: Duke Ferdinand of Parma, his wife Maria Amalia,their family

« on: November 08, 2019, 11:43:03 AM »

Links to miniatures of a young Antonia of Parma, third child of Duke Ferdinand, found at the Presidential Chancellery, Hofburg, Vienna:

http://www.bildarchivaustria.at/Preview/10053307.jpg

http://www.bildarchivaustria.at/Preview/10054836.jpg

And older sister Carolina Maria Theresa's (same location):

http://www.bildarchivaustria.at/Preview/10053293.jpg

Miniature of Caroline of Parma with her husband Maximilian of Saxony and their eldest child, Amalia Friederike of Saxony (same location):

http://www.bildarchivaustria.at/Preview/10050330.jpg

Ferdinand of Parma:  http://www.bildarchivaustria.at/Preview/10050003.jpg

 

4

Italian Royal Families / Re: Duke Ferdinand of Parma, his wife Maria Amalia,their family

« on: September 12, 2019, 06:58:55 AM »

Sculpture of Maria Amalia in the small town of Amaliendorf-Aaflang, in Lower Austria,  named after her. Not sure but she was likely the co-founder of the town (with Count Vincent Strassoldo) in 1799. 

http://zcrux.zwalk.at/skulptur-der-erzherzogin-amalie-48-831052-15-090126/

5

The Habsburgs / Re: Empress Maria Theresa and her large family

« on: December 28, 2018, 03:01:31 AM »

Very happy to find out that Maria Amalia has a new biography- after the first one published in 1932. It is not for sale but perhaps can be made available by request....

https://www.facebook.com/parmavpraze/photos/a.2020476721534278/2060250490890234/?type=3&theater

To update the list (and explanations) posted earlier by Bravecoeur:

Maria Theresa - numerous biographies but nothing as comprehensive as Beales's masterful work on Joseph II
Franz Stephan - a few biographies but nothing in English
Maria Anna - half a book (life in Klangenfurt) + a publication on her and her convent
Joseph II - numerous biographies
Maria Christina - a few books in German
Maria Elisabeth - none (apart from articles and notes) + a publication on her convent
Maria Amalia - 1932 biography in Italian, another one in 2018 (both not in German or English)
Leopold - a few biographies in German*
Maria Carolina - early 20th century biographies in English (Acton, Bearne) + a few in German
Ferdinand - none (apart from articles and notes)**
Marie Antoinette - countless books
Maximilian - two biographies in German***

*There are numerous articles and specialised publications on Leopold, and also a few biographies in German, notably the two volumes by Adam Wandruszka (and as he reigned in Tuscany for so long, I am certain there are Italian biographies too but haven't checked):
Adam Wandruszka: Leopold II. Erzherzog von Österreich, Großherzog von Toskana, König von Ungarn und Böhmen, Römischer Kaiser, 2 Bände (Band I: 1747–1780, Band II: 1780–1792), Vienna, Munich 1963 and 1965.
Helga Peham: Leopold II. Herrscher mit weiser Hand. Styria, Graz u. a. 1987

** Have not found any biography as a book (there are certainly the articles in the volumes on MT's children and shorter biographical articles).

*** I checked. There are two German biographies on Maximilian Franz, both by the same author:
Max Braubach: Max Franz von Österreich, letzter Kurfürst und Fürstbischof von Münster. Versuch einer Biographie (etc.), Münster i. W.: Aschendorff, 1925
Max Braubach: Maria Theresias jüngster Sohn Max Franz. Letzter Kurfürst von Köln und Fürstbischof von Münster. Herold, Wien u. a. 1961.
Also there are number of special books on his role in certain political aspects in Münster and Colgne.
   

6

Italian Royal Families / Re: Duke Ferdinand of Parma, his wife Maria Amalia,their family

« on: December 28, 2018, 02:48:57 AM »

Maria Amalia has a new biography!  Published by Eleutheria Foundation in June 2018.  Duke Carlos Xavier and his wife Duchess  Annamarie were in Prague for the book launch at the Embassy of Italy and he also paid his respects to her at the St. Vitus Cathedral, among other Parma-Prague related events.

The links....

https://www.facebook.com/EleutheriaFoundation/photos/a.1776448349102123/1776450872435204/?type=3&theater

https://www.facebook.com/EleutheriaFoundation/photos/a.1768920216521603/1768920313188260/?type=3&theater

https://www.facebook.com/parmavpraze/photos/a.2020476721534278/2060250490890234/?type=3&theater

What a great contribution, after almost 100 years from her one and only biography published in 1932! i read that it is not for sale but perhaps some arrangements can be made for perusal or by appointment.

7

Italian Royal Families / Re: Duke Ferdinand of Parma, his wife Maria Amalia,their family

« on: March 23, 2018, 01:46:29 AM »

Louis of Parma certainly took after his maternal grandfather Franz Stephan of Lorraine and aunt Archduchess Maria Anna in terms of scientific bent (natural sciences). He was mentioned to have a natural history museum (he certainly had one in Parma, with the help of his friend, Count Stefano Sanvitale) and corresponded with Thomas Jefferson, who appeared to have helped him in acquiring scientific specimens. Charles Willson Peale was also connected in this endeavor.

"Aranjuez, the 30 March1798

Sir, I received about two months ago yours dated the 23d. of May 1797. I pray you to be well persuaded of my greatefull acknowledgement, and for the many other motives I am so much indebted to you for. In the first place, for the complaisance and great pains you were pleased to take to procure means of gratifying my desire, afterwards for the just picture you make of the state of things and persons, and for the good advices and councils which you give me on the subject with the same interest as if it had personally regarded you. In short, for the huge tusk of the mammoth which I received and a very estimable piece for its rarity; it is still more so for me; being a remembrance of your politeness, and complaisance; the sight of that enormous tusk augmented my desire of reading the account of that animal which make an article worthy of being inserted in a volume of your philosophical transactions which you promise me that did not yet come to hand, but I expect it with impatience....."

He ends it with:

"I am at this moment ashamed of having so much encroached upon your civility, I beg then of you to pardon me, and to be perfectly assured that I wish for every occasion of being useful to you in any thing, and to give, you a proof of the acknowledgement, and perfect esteem with which I am

Sir Your most affec,te. humble Servt.

Louis Prince of Parma"

Souce/Link:   https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-30-02-0154

8

Italian Royal Families / Re: Duke Ferdinand of Parma, his wife Maria Amalia,their family

« on: February 28, 2018, 10:04:27 PM »

The Province of Parma continues to promote tourism with a touch of history. On March 8, a guided tour of the Palace of Colorno with the theme: "Ladies of the Palace" -- a journey on the lives, plots and loves of  the women who lived there: Marquise Barbara Sanseverino ("love triumphs"), Elisabeth Farnese ("An Italian on the throne of Spain"), Louise Elisabeth of France ("Madame Premiere"), Maria Amalia of Austria ("joie de vivre"), and Marie Louise of Austria ("Duchess of Parma, Piacenza and Guastalla"). 

The link to the event http://reggiadicolorno.it/festa-della-donna/

9

Italian Royal Families / Re: Duke Ferdinand of Parma, his wife Maria Amalia,their family

« on: March 14, 2016, 10:30:49 PM »

Carolina of Parma married Prince Maximilian of Saxony, and they had seven children, all of whom have Wiki pages except for Klemens. He died at age 24 - does anyone know what happened?

Two sources give two different reasons for his death:  Gazzetta di Genova (1822) stated that he died of an accident in Pisa while the Annali d'Italia dal principio dell'era volgare sino all'anno 1750, continuto sino all'anno 1827 stated that he died of an inflammatory disease. What is certain is that Prince Klemens died in Tuscany while visiting his sisters. The siblings were all close - as  his brother Johann put it (looking back at their childhood and youth), "We were 3 brothers and four sisters who were almost always together and loved each other dearly."

10

Italian Royal Families / Re: Duke Ferdinand of Parma, his wife Maria Amalia,their family

« on: March 13, 2016, 07:43:36 PM »

And here is a miniature of a young Maria Antonia (Tognina), same source.....

http://www.bildarchivaustria.at/Pages/ImageDetail.aspx?p_iBildID=10053300

11

Italian Royal Families / Re: Duke Ferdinand of Parma, his wife Maria Amalia,their family

« on: March 13, 2016, 07:02:41 PM »

Miniatures of  Ferdinand and Amalia's children and one of Amalia as a young lady, all from Bildarchivaustria.....

http://www.bildarchivaustria.at/Pages/ImageDetail.aspx?p_iBildID=10053512

http://www.bildarchivaustria.at/Pages/ImageDetail.aspx?p_iBildID=10053335

http://www.bildarchivaustria.at/Pages/ImageDetail.aspx?p_iBildID=10050316

https://www.bildarchivaustria.at/Pages/ImageDetail.aspx?p_iBildID=10053201

12

Italian Royal Families / Re: King Ferdinando I of the Two Sicilies and his wife Maria Carolina

« on: January 07, 2016, 09:56:16 PM »

I do not understand the "fuss" over Emma Hamilton and her "role" in history. She was beautiful but..... also unsure of how her friendship with Maria Carolina helped the royal family. aside from her (Emma) being supposedly indiscreet over British information and helping them escape. There seems to be no factual basis on this supposedly lesbian relationship.  Perhaps it was "perpetuated" by the likes of Count Giuseppe Gorani, who maligned MC and other Italian royals....

Here is a rather new study on Maria Carolina by Alison Goudie, "The sovereignty of the royal portrait in revolutionary and Napoleonic Europe: five case studies surrounding Maria Carolina, Queen of Naples," University of Oxford:

http://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:aeecdc4b-d840-4e25-be64-ba1407e18cd2

13

The Habsburgs / Re: Empress Maria Theresa and her large family

« on: December 17, 2015, 12:56:22 AM »

Franz Stephan had his own place in Vienna called "Kaiserhaus".  The link...

http://www.kaiserhaus.info/english/history.htm

Thank you to bravecoeur for the lead on this (book on Franz Stephan, which mentioned said palace) and for the wonderful update above.The book's summary mentions that FS amassed riches in only a short time and did not want any of his children to feel poor (did he feel poor at any point?).  I remember reading Maria Theresa was displeased/in despair that he didn't leave any big bequests to the other children and Joseph was the sole heir (But the family trust fund FS established should have taken care of keeping them in style with their rank).  MT was counting on the bequests. The summary of the book also states that FS is misjudged.

I see that Archduke Ferdinand is also neglected in terms of a biography but he seemed to have been appreciated by the people of Milan, nevertheless....

14

The Habsburgs / Re: Empress Maria Theresa and her large family

« on: November 20, 2015, 06:53:47 AM »

You're welcome.Unfortunately I have no overview on English Biographies of this kind, which I am sure exist too?

Can not recall any at this moment but my memory isn't perfect. Perhaps the others can help on this.

Yes, there is one on Maria Anna from 1910, that was funnily not published in Klagenfurt but in Innsbruck:
Adolf  Innerkofler (ed),  Eine große Tochter Maria Theresias: Erzherzogin Marianna in ihrem Hauptmonument, dem Elisabethinen-Kloster zu Klagenfurt. Jubelgabe zur Feier des 200jährigen Bestehens vom Elisabethinen-Konvent, Innsbruck 1910. The German title can be translated as "A great daughter of Maria Theresia: Archduchess Marianna in her main monument, the Elizabethan convent of Klagenfurt. Jubelee present in celebration of the 200 year anniversary of the Elizabethan convent".

Furthermore not a book  but a contribution that is 110 pages long (!) so half a book documents Maria Anna's 8 years in Klagenfurt: Othmar Rudan, Erzherzogin Maria Anna in Klagenfurt 1781 – 1789. In: Carinthia 1 170 (1980), 185–295.
Now compare this with how little has been written on Maria Elisabeth's 25 years in Innsbruck... I have read neither of these two works, this information is from another volume of the series I posted yesterday, not sure whether it has already been mentioned here. p. 60 https://winklerverlag.com/v1859x/v1859x_lep.htm

Thanks for this. At least Maria Anna is not being totally ignored. I think she is most intelligent and talented overall among the siblings but is "underrated" due to Maria Christina's "prominence" as the favourite daughter of Maria Theresa as well as Maria Carolina being hailed as the daughter most like MT (did MT really state that?).

I think Maria Elisabeth is also categorized as not interesting enough like Maria Anna - 'princesses at convents' and there were plenty of those at that era.  But they did influence their second homes and Maria Elisabeth was at the forefront in Tyrol (one of the small but nevertheless important Habsburg domains) after Joseph died.

Definitely a great idea! The problem is a bit, I think, that (court) biography is not such a "sexy" topic in academia, which leaves the area to other writers who mostly recycle existing material but don't look for new sources in the archives (exceptions are Renate Zedinger on Franz I Stephan, Derek Beales on Josef II and certainly a few more).

Have not heard of that one of Franz Stephan - thank you for this - but Derek Beales's books on Joseph II are both fantastic.  More than worth their rather expensive price tags... I am rather reserved about (some) independent historians as they not only merely recycle information but also invent their own "facts" (speculation or conjecture is fine but should be stated as such - not presented as facts) . I would rather wait for a long time for works similar to Derek Beales's.

So, as far as the family is concerned, this is the summary as far as biographies are concerned?

Maria Theresa - numerous biographies but nothing as comprehensive as Beales's masterful work on Joseph II
Franz Stephan - with a number of biographies but nothing in English?
Maria Anna - half a book (life in Klangenfurt) + a publication on her convent
Joseph II- numerous biographies
Maria Christina - a few books in German
Maria Elisabeth - none; mentioned in the chronicles of Tyrol
Maria Amalia - 1932 biography in Italian
Leopold - a few biographies in German?
Maria Carolina - early 20th century biographies in English (Acton, Bearne) + a few in German
Ferdinand - ?
Marie Antoinette - countless books
Maximilian - ?
   

15

The Habsburgs / Re: Empress Maria Theresa and her large family

« on: November 17, 2015, 04:08:48 AM »

Thank you very much, bravecoeur, for the content summary on the books related to Maria Elisabeth, and for this new publication which also features Maria Elisabeth.  Little by little information is being "unearthed" about her.

I'm unsure whether or not Maria Anna has her own biography while the only one I know of Maria Christina was written in the 19th century and in German. Someone reliable should do a book on each of the three sisters.