The Funerary Monument of Maria Christina of Austria

Karl Joseph Aloys Agricola made this print of the Funerary Monument of Maria Christina of Austria sometime after his birth in 1779. Agricola here commemorates a monument to a woman who was both an Austrian Archduchess and Governor of the Austrian Netherlands. The monument itself was designed by Antonio Canova, an Italian artist who made his name amongst Europe's elite with his neoclassical sculptures. Canova’s work was widely copied in prints, and such images helped make his reputation. The monument, in the Augustinerkirche in Vienna, presents a pyramid with a doorway representing death. Figures climb towards the doorway, representing virtues, while other figures represent mourning. To understand the significance of this print, we can look to the social networks and patronage systems that supported artists like Canova and Agricola. We might also examine the political functions of funerary monuments and the artistic institutions that promoted neoclassical art.