Portrait of Emperor Franz Joseph I 1853

Miklos Barabas painted this portrait of Emperor Franz Joseph I using oil on canvas. The slick, polished surface, meant to last for centuries, belies the extraordinary labor involved in creating it. Oil paint itself, made from ground pigment bound in linseed oil, requires careful preparation and skilled application. The smooth canvas is the result of stretching the material by hand. The artist would have built up layers of paint, blending and glazing to achieve the desired likeness and sheen. What's also interesting is how the Emperor’s luxurious uniform and surroundings are also the products of skilled labor – from the gold embroidery on his jacket to the ornate carving of the table. These elements speak to the networks of production and consumption that sustained the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Considering the materials, making processes, and social context behind this portrait helps us to understand its full meaning. It is a symbol of power but also of the many hands that contributed to its creation.