The 2nd of November 1755: birth of Marie-Antoinette
Maria Theresa Family van Meytens
On that day was born in Vienna, at the Palace of the Hofburg, Maria Antonia Josepha Johanna von Hapsburg-Lothringen, fifteenth child of the Holy Roman Emperor Francis I Stephen (né François-Etienne de Lorraine) and his wife Empress Maria Theresa.
Within the imperial family the little Archduchess was called “Antonia” or “Antoinette.” Eighteen years later she would become Queen of France under the name of Marie-Antoinette.
Here she is as a baby (lying in the gilded cradle at the center of the picture) surrounded by her parents and siblings. This was painted in 1755, when she could not be more than two months old. It must be the earliest of her many portraits.
Martin van Meytens, official painter of the Viennese Court, made several versions of this life-size picture of the Familia Augusta, the imperial family, represented here on the terrace of the Palace of Schönbrunn. From time to time van Meytens produced updated versions to include the newest additions to the ruling couple’s increasing brood.
This particular version was purchased during the 19th century by King Louis-Philippe and is now in the Versailles collections. There exists a later version that includes Marie-Antoinette’s younger brother, little Archduke Maximilian Franz.
PDF 7 Comments to “The 2nd of November 1755: birth of Marie-Antoinette”
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Happy Birthday Marie Antoinette!
sheesh…Maria Theresa sure had a lot of kids! And I will never understand why artists painted children like shruken adults. Actually, the little girl in the chair looks like a shruken old lady.
It’s a very beautyful portrait!
I have just discovered your wonderful blog! Where have I been!!? I would love to add you to my bloglist. I will definitly be a regular visitor here. What a treat this is!
Catherine from ‘A Thousand Clapping Hands’
Carlyn and DonnaSandra, you are both right. This is indeed a beautiful, and very impressive portrait. At the same time, the babies do look like miniature adults. I believe this is explained by the history of the painting: originally only the Emperor and Empress, and the elder children sat for the portrait. All are very lifelike.
When the little ones were added later, it was to make the imperial family “complete.” I very much doubt the babies actually sat for this. Hence the less than natural look.
We should keep in mind that this portrait was used by the imperial propaganda to show the Familia Augusta as powerful, united, and yes, prolific.
And Catherine – Delighted to meet you. Welcome to Versailles and more, and I am going to check out your own blog right away!
I have always been intrigued by Marie Antoinette for as long as I can remember. Every book, movie, commentary on her was fascinating to me. Imagine my joy years later, when I became a Grandmother to a gorgeous, precocious Princess named Chloe on Novemeber 2, 2006! Love your blog, would love to see the gown please post pics!
I love to post pictures, Mary, and plan on visiting the Versailles Court Costume exhibit late April. Plenty of gowns to come!
I am an AP european student, this help with our end of the year review very much! One comment as to the way the children were painted is that in the industrial revolution one of the little revalations was that children were no longer “just miniature adults” at this time the paintings also start to change to make the children look more real, like real people.