ADOLF THEER, signed, circa 1835/1840

THE PROPERTY OF A NOBLEMAN

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ADOLF THEER, signed, circa 1835/1840

Archduke Ferdinand Charles of Austria-Este with curly greying hair and moustache, wearing a splendid scarlet hussar's uniform with gold frogging and aiguillettes, a gold-braided white dolman bordered with brown fur draped over his left shoulder, the jewel of the Order of Golden Fleece suspended from a red ribbon around his neck, decorated with the badge of the Imperial Austrian Order of Maria-Theresia and the breast-stars of the Royal Prussian Order of the Black Eagle, the Royal Hungarian Order of Saint-Stephen, and the Guelphic Order of Hannover; oval -- 172 mm high, gilt-metal mount.

Lot Essay

Archduke Ferdinand Karl of Austria-Este (1781-1850) was the second son of Archduke Ferdinand of Habsburg and his wife Maria-Beatrice of Este-Modena. At the age of twelve, he owned the third hussar regiment and entered the military academy of Wiener Neustadt in 1796, joining the army in 1799. Due to his military success, he was awarded the Cross of the Military Order of Maria-Theresia as early as in 1800. He struggled against the French troops until 1815 and retired from his military career in 1846. He was a brother of Queen Maria-Teresa of Sardinia (see lot 238), of Electress Maria-Leopoldine of Bavaria, of Archduke Maximilian-Josef of Austria-Este (see lot 165) and of Empress Maria-Ludovica of Austria (see lot 166).
For a miniature showing the same sitter as a young man, see lot 237.

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