Waiting Room to the Audience Chamber
Waiting Room to the Audience Chamber
Waiting Room to the Audience Chamber
Emperor Franz Joseph gave general audiences twice a week, at which any of the subjects of his empire could attend to present a matter of their concern to the emperor. In this room persons seeking an audience with the emperor waited before being admitted to the audience chamber in order to present themselves on taking public office, to convey their gratitude at receiving a military or civilian decoration or to beg for clemency for themselves or their relatives. Right into his old age, Franz Joseph received around one hundred people on any one morning. Those attending an audience were required to appear in uniform, tail-coat or in the case of ladies, a black dress with a train. The figures displayed here portray representatives from some of the most important crown lands and regions of the monarchy (Hungary, Bohemia, Venetia, Croatia, Slavonia, Serbian Vojvodina, Carinthia, Styria and Tyrol), giving an idea of the size and ethnic variety of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy.
The walls are decorated with three monumental mural paintings in encaustic wax technique by Johann Peter Krafft. They were painted in 1832 and depict important events from the reign of Emperor Franz II/I.
