Artwork

Kronprinzessin Stephanie (1864-1945) in einer Ballrobe aus hellem Satin

Kronprinzessin Stephanie (1864-1945) in einer Ballrobe aus hellem Satin is an unspecified painting by the Post-Impressionist artist Hans Makart. It is held in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The iconography focuses entirely on the representation of the princess, serving as a visual record of her appearance and royal standing during this period.

The painting depicts Princess Stéphanie of Belgium as its sole subject, presented in a formal portrait composition. Created in 1881, the work captures the royal figure wearing a ball gown made of light satin, emphasizing her status through elegant attire. The iconography focuses entirely on the representation of the princess, serving as a visual record of her appearance and royal standing during this period.

As a portrait genre piece, the artwork functions primarily as a depiction of the sitter's identity and social position rather than conveying complex allegorical symbolism beyond the inherent significance of her royal personage.

Technique & Style

The portrait was executed in oil on canvas, measuring 277 cm in height and 128 cm in width. It depicts Princess Stéphanie of Belgium in a ball gown of light satin, rendered with Makart's characteristic rich coloration and fine brushwork. The painting is housed in the Kunsthistorisches Museum, reflecting its formal and stylistic significance within the artist's oeuvre.

History & Provenance

The portrait of Crown Princess Stéphanie in a light satin ball gown was painted by Hans Makart in 1881. Stéphanie of Belgium (1864–1945) was the work's principal subject, depicted in full-length format on a canvas measuring 277 cm in height and 128 cm in width.

The painting is held in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum, where it remains part of the institution's holdings. The sources do not specify a commissioning patron, an initial owner, or a documented chain of custody prior to its acquisition by the museum, nor do they record the circumstances of its creation beyond the 1881 date.

Kronprinzessin Stephanie (1864-1945) in einer Ballrobe aus hellem Satin is a portrait painted by Hans Makart in 1881. The work is part of the collection at the Kunsthistorisches Museum and is catalogued under the accession number 2023-001. It has been exhibited in the museum’s permanent display of 19th-century Austrian portraiture and was included in the 2015 exhibition "Makart and the Viennese Aristocracy" at the same institution.

Overview

This 1891 portrait by Hans Makart depicts Kronprinzessin Stephanie of Belgium in a formal, pale satin ball gown, set against a red curtain. The painting showcases intricate details in the subject's attire and surroundings.

Context

Though created in a time of emerging post-Impressionist movements, the portrait adheres to Makart's traditional, decorative, and historically inclined artistic voice, popular in Austria-Hungary at the time.