Surprising Discoveries During Restoration of the Miniature Cabinet in Vienna's Schönbrunn Palace

"The miniature cabinet was set up in the form in which it can be seen today during the last 15 years of the Empress's life, that is, in the late 1760s," explained Anna Mader-Kratky, head of the Scientific Management Schönbrunn Group, in a conversation with the APA on the occasion of a press event on Thursday. Copper engravings and drawings from the imperial collection were used as templates for the miniatures applied to parchment. "We see portraits, genre scenes, amorous scenes, that is, love couples," said Birgit Schmidt-Messner, who conducts art historical research on the miniatures.

Original Templates for Miniatures Found in Vienna Albertina

The curator of the Schönbrunn Group has managed to find some of the original templates for the miniatures in the Albertina collection. "The question arises as to how it was possible to transfer these onto the parchment," Schmidt-Messner explained. "We are trying to provide answers to this in the near future." The miniatures are certainly "a very beautiful proof of the talent of the children of the imperial couple and the emperor himself," added Mader-Kratky. And also that "the imperial family not only looked at the collection but also worked with it," said Schmidt-Messner.

The "size" of the room is determined by the structural conditions. "But certainly also by the function, of which we know very little to nothing," reported the scientific director. Mader-Kratky: "I would assume that the Empress withdrew there alone or with a lady-in-waiting to read, write letters, or perhaps also to have small meals. But there are no sources about the private life of the imperial couple in the 18th century."

Surprises in the Restoration of the Miniature Cabinet

In a historical photo, Zita, the last Empress of Austria, is seen with her eldest son Otto in the miniature cabinet. "This was crucial for the restoration because we were able to trace the two-tone color of the wall paneling," explained Mader-Kratky. The Theresian Rococo rooms were, contrary to popular belief, quite colorful - as was this room, which over the decades was "repeatedly revised deviating from the original color tone," noted restorer Martin Siennicki, referring to corresponding investigation results.

In addition to the two-tone color, restorers made another surprising discovery: When replacing a fire detector, they saw through a hole a baroque stucco ceiling 80 centimeters above the current dome. When Maria Theresa had the room furnished, the stucco was apparently not removed, but a new ceiling was installed underneath: "We were not aware of this," emphasized Mader-Kratky. "We had it photographed in 3D and a 3D model built."

A logistical challenge for the team was the small floor area: "Everyone who worked in the room had to coordinate," reported Siennicki. The miniatures were removed and restored in the studio. "They were in excellent condition despite their age and material." A main topic was the reinstallation in a more climate-protected "packaging": The historical decorative frame was preserved, but the original material was sealed with climate-tight tape.

Viewing the Miniature Cabinet through the "Million Room" Possible

The miniature cabinet is not accessible to visitors of Schönbrunn Palace. However, it is worth looking through a door in the "Million Room" into the room now shining in its original splendor.

(APA/Red.)

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