The Habsburgs

This chair was used by Elisabeth Christine, wife of Emperor Charles VI. Subjected to extreme dietary regimes to promote fertility, she became increasingly obese and immobile. Despite these measures, she failed to produce a male heir. The male line of the Habsburgs having died out with Charles VI, in 1740 his elder daughter Maria Theresa succeeded him as ruler over the Habsburg lands.

To commemorate Emperor Franz II (I), who had died in 1835, his canaries Bibi and Büberl were taxidermied after their deaths. The two ‘Brazilian sky-swarmers’, as these exotic birds were called at the time, had arrived at the Viennese court in connection with the marriage of his daughter Leopoldine to the future emperor of Brazil, Pedro I.

These free-standing commodes were used before there was access to mains water supplies and sewer systems. The central principle of their construction was to prevent offensive odours escaping. Servants were instructed to empty and clean the enclosed receptacle regularly. Their outward appearance was intended to disguise their function.

On 21 August 1858 Empress Elisabeth gave birth to the long-awaited male heir to the throne. The City of Vienna presented the imperial couple with this ornate cradle to mark the birth of little Rudolf. It was made by the Viennese cabinet-maker Franz Matthias Podany, who decorated it with wood mosaic made according to a special technique that he had patented.

Archduke Maximilian, younger brother of Emperor Franz Joseph, was offered and accepted the crown of Mexico, a fatal decision that he paid for with his life. He was executed by firing squad in Querétaro on 19 June 1867. This coffin was probably only used to convey his remains by rail from Trieste to Vienna.