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KAISER WILHELM
Large-format portrait cards of Franz Ferdinand & Emperor Franz Josef – Habsburg Photography, Vienna
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- €550,00
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- €550,00
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The large-format photographic portrait card shows the Austrian heir apparent Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Este, his wife Sophie Duchess of Hohenberg, and their three children. With its exceptional format of 23 × 14 cm, it is one of the representative oversize cabinet cards, as used for high-quality aristocratic portraits and dynastic family photographs.
The photograph comes from Atelier Adele, owned by Wilhelm Förster, Vienna, a renowned studio of the late Habsburg era. The condition is generally good; earlier framing is indicated by slight traces on the edge.
The second large-format photographic portrait card shows Emperor Franz Josef of Austria. The photograph comes from the renowned Viennese court photographer Carl Pietzner, who was known for his clear, representative portraits of the Habsburg Monarchy.
The card was trimmed for framing and now measures 20 × 13 cm. Despite the reduction in size, the impact of the photograph remains; the portrait card shows the emperor's typical, dignified portrayal and is among the sought-after examples of historical portrait photography of the late Danubian Monarchy.
Information about the Austrian Archducal Couple
The Austrian heir apparent Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Este and his wife Sophie Duchess of Hohenberg were victims of a politically motivated assassination on June 28, 1914, in Sarajevo, which went down in history as the trigger for the First World War. Franz Ferdinand was the designated successor to Emperor Franz Joseph I and was considered a central figure of the late Habsburg Monarchy. His marriage to Sophie Chotek, which was considered a morganatic marriage due to her non-equal birth, shaped his personal life and meant that Sophie had limited rights at the Viennese court.
During an official visit to Sarajevo, the capital of the Austro-Hungarian province of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Franz Ferdinand and Sophie were shot by the Serbian-nationalist assassin Gavrilo Princip. The act was part of a conspiracy by the organization "Black Hand", which fought against Austrian rule in the region. The assassination triggered a chain reaction of diplomatic events that ultimately led to the July Crisis of 1914 and the beginning of the First World War.
Franz Ferdinand was considered politically influential and pursued plans for internal reform of the Danubian Monarchy, while Sophie was described as a warm-hearted, approachable person. Their joint death was perceived as a tragedy throughout Europe and marks one of the most symbolic turning points in European history.
Information about Emperor Franz Josef I of Austria
Emperor Franz Josef I of Austria (1830–1916) was the defining head of state of the Habsburg Monarchy for almost seven decades and one of the central figures in European history. His accession to the throne in the revolutionary year 1848 marked the beginning of an era characterized by political upheavals, modernization, and increasing national tensions. Franz Josef was considered a conscientious, disciplined, and strongly tradition-oriented monarch who prioritized the unity of the multi-ethnic empire above all else.
Under his rule, the Danubian Monarchy developed into a complex state entity, which became the Dual Monarchy in 1867 with the Austro-Hungarian Compromise. Franz Josef was known for his personal strictness, deep religiosity, and tireless work routine. At the same time, his life was marked by tragic events – the suicide of his son Crown Prince Rudolf, the execution of his brother Maximilian of Mexico, and finally the assassination of his nephew Franz Ferdinand, which triggered the First World War.
Sale without frame!