An extraordinary and monumental pair of 18th century École Française Oil on Canvas portraits of Marie-Josèphe of Habsbourg of Austria (1699-1757), wife of Frederick Augustus II of Saxony, Elector of Saxony, and of their son Frederick IV of Saxony (1722-1763),... — Read More

An extraordinary and monumental pair of 18th century École Française Oil on Canvas portraits of Marie-Josèphe of Habsbourg of Austria (1699-1757), wife of Frederick Augustus II of Saxony, Elector of Saxony, and of their son Frederick IV of Saxony (1722-1763), bearing the Imperial and Royal Order of the White Eagle. Both set in their original giltwood frames. Attributed to the original portraits by the artist Louis de Silvestre.

The House of Habsburg, also called the House of Austria, was one of the most influential and distinguished royal houses of Europe. The throne of the Holy Roman Empire was continuously occupied by the Habsburgs from 1438 until their extinction in 1740.

The house also produced emperors and kings of the Kingdom of Bohemia,England, Germany, Hungary, Croatia, Ireland, Portugal, and Kingdom of Spain, as well as rulers of several Dutch and Italian principalities. From the 16th century, following the reign of Charles V, the dynasty was split between its Austrian and Spanish branches.

The House takes its name from Habsburg Castle, a fortress built in the 1020’s, now in present-day Switzerland, in the canton of Aargau, by Count Radbot of Klettgau, who chose to name his fortress Habsburg. His grandson Otto II was the first to take the fortress name as his own, adding "Count of Habsburg" to his title. — Read Less