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Marie-Louise (Heath)
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Marie-Louise (Heath)
MARIE-LOUISE OF AUSTRIA second empress of Napoleon I wearing tiara, a double- necklace and a resigned expression. Date: 1791 - 1847
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Media ID 14296654
© Mary Evans Picture Library
1791 1847 Austria Double Empress Expression Heath Louise Marie Napoleon Necklace Resigned Tiara
EDITORS COMMENTS
Marie-Louise of Austria (1791-1847), the second empress of Napoleon I, is depicted in this striking portrait wearing the imperial diamonds and a resigned expression. Born as Archduchess of Austria, Marie-Louise was the last Austrian Habsburg to rule as Empress of the French. The portrait captures her at the height of her power and yet with an air of melancholy. Marie-Louise was the daughter of Emperor Leopold II of Austria and his wife, Maria Ludovica of Bourbon-Two Sicilies. In 1810, at the age of 18, she was married to Napoleon Bonaparte, the French Emperor, in a grand ceremony held in the Imperial Palace of Schönbrunn, Vienna. The marriage was a strategic move by Napoleon to secure the support of Austria and end the war with the Third Coalition. In the portrait, Marie-Louise wears the imperial diamonds, a magnificent necklace and tiara that were a gift from her husband. The diamonds were originally part of the French Crown Jewels and had been seized from the Bourbon monarchy during the French Revolution. The double necklace was a gift from Marie-Louise's mother, who hoped that it would help secure her daughter's happiness in her new role as Empress. Despite the grandeur of her new position, Marie-Louise was unhappy in her marriage. She was homesick for Austria and longed for the simple pleasures of country life. Napoleon, who was deeply in love with Marie-Louise at first, grew tired of her melancholic disposition and began to seek solace in other women. The portrait captures Marie-Louise's resigned expression, a reflection of her inner turmoil and longing for a life beyond the imperial court. The portrait is a poignant reminder of the complexities of the human heart and the challenges of political alliances and personal desires.
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