Portrait of Joseph II, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire
ca. 1777
Medium
Wool (154 knots per sq. inch, 25 per sq. cm.)
Dimensions
H. 47 x W. 39 inches (119.4 x 99.1 cm)
Classification
Textiles-Woven
Culture
French, Paris
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1906
Accession Number
07.225.469
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite woven portrait of Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor, was crafted around 1777 by the renownedonnerie Manufactory Paris, a royal workshop celebrated for producing the finest knotted-pile carpets in. Measuring 47 by 39 inches, this textile captures the enlightened ruler—known for his progressive reforms patronage of the arts—in a dignified pose, transforming a traditionally flat medium into a strikingly lifelike image. Savonnerie's works often graced the palaces of Versailles, blending artistry with luxury for the French elite. The artwork's historical significance lies in its diploma...