Kings and Queens and Emperors

Only a king could hunt lions — this symbolized his ability to protect his people. The lions are especially naturalistic and are shown leaping, wounded, and dying. Look for the king in his chariot (he wears a tall cone-shaped hat).

Here the king draws back his bow but is attacked from behind. Behind the chariot, we see dead and dying lions. The reliefs express the power and the authority of the king over nature and were originally brightly painted.

If you were to look at a map of Europe at around 1500, Habsburg territories included Spain, parts of Northern Europe, France, Southern Italy, Austria, and Hungary. Today, the Treasury is a museum located in the Hofburg Palace—the former residence of Kings and Emperors.

This crown was likely made for the coronation of Otto I as Holy Roman Emperor in 962. Otto ruled kingdoms and territories in central Europe. This crown has gold, gems, pearls, and enameled figures. One shows Christ and reads “By me kings reign!.”

This 1000 year old jewel-studded cross is a reliquary—a container for spiritual objects. By tradition the Imperial Cross held a fragment of the lance that pierced Christ’s side and pieces of the cross that Christ was crucified on.

The plaques express this power and his divine nature. The Portuguese (who arrived in West Africa in the late 1400s) brought brass to trade. Benin artists transformed this material into the plaques we see here.

The Oba holds leopards by the tail while mudfish dangle from his belt. Leopards express leadership and were a symbol of royal power. Mudfish can deliver electric current and live in both land and water—as the Oba rules over land and sea.

The King invited leading Italian artists to work at the chateau including Rosso Fiorentino and Primaticcio who created the paintings and frames for the Francis I Gallery that we see here. The goal was to integrate painting, sculpture and architecture—all designed to celebrate the King of France.

The exact subject of this fresco, called The Royal Elephant, is still debated. The elephant is adorned with symbols of the French monarchy and on either side, are mythological scenes. The fresco is framed by sculptures of putti (winged figures).

Like everything at Versailles involving Louis XIV, these meals took place with much ritual and before an audience of the royal court. The room was dedicated to Mars, the god of war, because the room had previously been used by the Queen’s guards.

To counter her poor reputation, this portrait of Queen Marie Antoinette depicts her as a loving mother. The Queen had four children but the cradle is left empty, in memory of death of her youngest child. The Queen was beheaded six years later.

The palace, inspired by Versailles, has more than twice as many rooms and is also surrounded by gardens. The Grand Gallery is decorated with frescos, polished walls, and gilded (gold covered) stucco decoration that swirl around the walls, windows, and frescoes.

The ceiling dissolves into a heavenly vision as we look up at a fresco that depicts the Emperor and Empress surrounded by symbols of virtuous rule and representations the Empire’s many lands.

The Royal Albert Memorial was built by Queen Victoria when her husband, Prince Albert died at age 42. The Queen wore only black for the rest of her life. Behind us is the Royal Albert Hall of Arts and Sciences; named by Victoria in memory of Prince Albert.

A gilded bronze sculpture of the Prince sits underneath a gothic-inspired canopy. He holds a catalogue to the Great Exhibition of 1851. There are eight groups of sculptures plus a frieze that all communicate Albert’s dedication to the arts and sciences.

The hall was built to promote “understanding and appreciation of the Arts and Sciences” and was inspired by ancient Roman amphitheaters like the Colosseum in Rome. It is constructed of red brick and terracotta decoration with a dome of glass and iron.