Glory of the House of Habsburg

The Habsburg medal begins with Emperor Frederick III (ruled 1452-1493), and continues to play a pivotal role as a medium for princely display until the end of the Austrian Empire. Medals served as splendid portraits and show-pieces that rivaled paintings as a medium ideally suited to reflect the sitter’s character and programme. Today, they are not only important from an art-historical point of view, but are also vital historical sources and documents that illustrate how those who commissioned them saw themselves.

On show were a total of 250 medals, with the selection concentrating on those members of the House of Habsburg who were elected emperors. The exhibition also included objets d’art from the Kunstkammer, among them works by artists who also made medals for the imperial court in Vienna.