AUSTRIAN SCHOOL (17th century)
Portrait miniature of Leopold I, wearing lace cravat and the Order of the Golden Fleece, his hair worn curled and down
Watercolour on vellum
Oval, 34 mm (1 3/8 in) high
£2,200
The miniature also bears a resemblance to a miniature held by Eleonore Magdalena of Pfalz-Neuburg (1655-1720), Leopold’s third wife, in the Royal Collection (RCIN 406641). Reproductions of the painting are not high-quality enough to confirm that this is the same miniature, however. Leopold married three times between 1666 and 1676, and it is likely that portrait miniatures like the present example were painted for all his wives.
Leopold had a rather controversial reign, defined by war and financial insecurity. It was under him that the Kuruc risings began, following the execution of three Hungarian noblemen after the end of the war against the Turks. They were not happy with the exchange of Turkish rule for Habsburg rule, and execution was Leopold’s answer. It was also under Leopold that Strasbourg was ceded to the French at the Treaty of Rijswijk. As a devout catholic, he played a key role in the Counter-Reformation, and was also responsible for the expulsion of Jewish Austrians from Vienna.
His life and reign, as with many Habsburg rulers, were also defined by his looks. He was known as ‘Hogmouth’ for his protruding ‘Habsburg Chin’ and lips, both of which have been captured here. However, these have not been exaggerated to make the portrait honest rather than satirical. It is not surprising that he would have commissioned miniatures of himself, as Leopold was known as a cultured emperor. He held operas and ballets within the Viennese court, and was even a composer himself.
[1] One of which is currently on show at the Schloss Ambras Innsbruck, on loan from the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, 6745.
shipping notice
Worldwide shipping is included in all prices.
The Limner Company does not accept any responsibility for import duty, this is to be paid by the buyer.
Some stock items contain materials from endangered species which are governed by CITES regulations and will require a permit to export outside of Great Britain. If a certificate of export is required then this will be the responsibility of and paid for by the buyer .
shipping notice
The item added to cart contains materials from endangered or protected species. The Limner Company cannot arrange for the delivery of artworks containing ivory,
tortoiseshell, or mother of pearl outside of the UK due to import restrictions. The buyer or designated agent may collect the property in the country of sale.
You are advised that several countries prohibit the importation of any items made from or containing certain endangered or protected species (such as ivory, tortoiseshell, or mother of pearl), while other countries will require a permit (e.g. a CITES licence). Such permits must be obtained from the relevant regulatory body in both the country of importation and exportation. If you intend to import such items into another country you should familiarise yourself with the relevant customs regulations and laws before purchase. Delays or refusal of import or export of such works shall not permit cancellation of a sale. It is your responsibility to satisfy any laws or regulations applying to the import or export of any work containing such protected species. For further information on the protected species listed please visit the CITES website:http://www.cites.org/. For further information about import and export regulations please visit:http://www.defra.gov.uk/ahvla-en/imports-exports/cites/. On request, the Company can assist with or apply for a license on your behalf.
Please contact us to discuss shipping options..
checkout details
Your basket exceeds the allowed online transaction limit of £10,000. Please remove an item from your basket to continue to checkout. Successive online sales totalling £10,000 are also prohibited. Please get in touch if you would like to move forward with the purchase in accordance with anti-money laundering regulation.
Under the terms of the anti-money laundering regulation we are required to conduct customer due diligence (CDD) on all sales of works of art over £10,000 before the transaction is carried out. While therefore we may agree to such a sale in principle, we will not be able to conclude (i.e. receive funds, give up possession or transfer title) it until we have received all the necessary CDD information from you and have been able to verify it as required by the regulation.
shipping TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Worldwide shipping is included in all prices.
The Limner Company does not accept any responsibility for import duty, this is to be paid by the buyer.
See Section 7.5 in Terms & Conditions for information on export/import regulations.
Please contact us to discuss shipping options.
Some stock items contain materials from endangered species which are governed by CITES regulations and will
require a permit to export outside of Great Britain. If a certificate of export is required then this will be
the responsibility of and paid for by the buyer.
See Section 7.5 in Terms & Conditions for information on export/import regulations.
Please contact us to discuss shipping options.
you may also like