The Archdukes Franz Joseph, Ferdinand Max and Carl Ludwig 1844

Josef Kriehuber made this print of the Archdukes Franz Joseph, Ferdinand Max and Carl Ludwig in Austria sometime in the mid-19th century. Note how it connects to the wider social and cultural context of the Austrian Empire. Here, we see the three young archdukes in nature with their horse. The image is very posed and calculated to show that the three boys are healthy, wealthy and destined for greatness. As we look at the image, the cultural references and historical associations create meaning. Consider how specific features of that culture, such as historical events, social class, political movements, or economic structures might have influenced the artwork. It’s a self-consciously conservative statement, showing the social structures of its own time and reinforcing the power of the Habsburg dynasty. To truly understand such an image, a historian like myself would want to explore resources like aristocratic family records, art criticism of the era, and studies of institutional patronage. Art is something contingent on social and institutional context.