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KAISER WILHELM
Large-format portrait cards of Franz Ferdinand & Emperor Franz Josef – Habsburg Photography, Vienna
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Two antique photographs - Austrian Imperial House
The large-format photographic portrait card shows the Austrian heir to the throne Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Este, his wife Sophie Duchess of Hohenberg, and their three children. With the exceptional size of 23 × 14 cm, it belongs to the representative oversized cabinet cards 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 good overall; previous framing is evident through slight traces on the edges.
The second large-format photographic portrait card shows Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria. The photograph is by 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 typical, dignified depiction of the Emperor and is one of the sought-after examples of historical portrait photography from the late Danube Monarchy.
Information on the Austrian heir to the throne and his wife
The Austrian heir to the throne Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Este and his wife Sophie Duchess of Hohenberg became 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 resulted in Sophie having only 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 "Black Hand" organization, which was fighting against Austrian rule in the region. The assassination triggered a diplomatic chain reaction 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 Danube Monarchy, while Sophie was described as a warm-hearted person close to the people. Their shared death was perceived across Europe as a tragedy and marks one of the most symbolic turning points in European history.
Information on Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria
Emperor Franz Joseph 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 of European history. His accession to the throne in the revolutionary year 1848 marked the beginning of an era characterized by political upheaval, modernization, and increasing national tensions. Franz Joseph was considered a dutiful, disciplined, and strongly tradition-oriented monarch who prioritized the unity of the multi-ethnic empire above all else.
Under his rule, the Danube Monarchy developed into a complex state structure, which became the dual monarchy in the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867. Franz Joseph was known for his personal austerity, his deep religiosity, and his 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.
Sold without frame!