Portrait of "Sissi" by Georg Raab

Elizabeth, Empress of Austro-Hungary. Portrait by Georg Raab, 1873

The portrait of Austrian Empress Elisabeth, (known as "Sissi"), painted by Georg Raab, is a true masterpiece of Lviv Art Gallery. In a typical Western museum, such a work would draw crowds armed with cameras, creating bottlenecks in the gallery. Visitors would likely find themselves on tiptoes or jostling for position just to get a good view.

However, in Lviv, this exquisite piece is surrounded by serene silence and relative solitude. You can buy your ticket, contemplate the artwork at leisure, even take a selfie with this legendary figure—all without any rush, as you're often the only one there. It's a truly blissful experience for art enthusiasts.

The beauty captured in this portrait cost millions to achieve and was perfected to the absolute. While it later became a source of admiration and an ideal for a generation, for Sissi herself, it also became a source of neuroses, fears, and complexes. Maintaining such an appearance consumed hours of her day. As she aged, Sissi became increasingly reclusive, hiding her face behind fans and umbrellas in a futile attempt to remain forever young in the public eye.

Raab captured the Empress at her prime in 1873, the year of the Vienna World Exhibition, when she still posed for fortunate painters. His work rivals that of the brilliant Winterhalter. Upon close inspection, one can appreciate the delicate brushstrokes and meticulous attention to detail. The rich plum-purple background beautifully accentuates her fine features, ivory skin, luxurious clothing, and adornments.

What's particularly striking is Sissi's hypnotic three-quarter gaze, hinting at severity, hidden anger, and life's dramas. It keeps the viewer at arm's length, as if she were a volcano that could erupt at any moment, sending chills down one's spine.

This portrait presents an exemplary oval face, lush eyebrows, and flawless ivory skin with a slight blush. Interestingly, Sissi shunned cosmetics, opting instead for frequent massages, strawberry masks, cold showers, milk baths, and a trusty parasol. The final touch to her beauty regimen? Applying raw meat to her cheeks. And let's not forget the countless diets she adhered to.

Her legendary, abundant hair—nearly reaching her heels—is arranged like a crown, adorned with a gold hoop featuring her beloved edelweiss crafted from diamonds and emeralds. Hair-washing rituals and daily combing consumed up to three hours of her day. Despite this, Sissi devoted time to learning several foreign languages, including Hungarian and Greek. Her closest confidante was her personal hairdresser, Fanny Feifalik, whom she paid a salary rivaling Viennese professors and who continually invented new hairstyles for her mistress.

The portrait showcases a snow-white dress with frilled folds, topped with a gauzy strip embroidered with golden reeds, adorned with water lilies and a lavish emerald brooch. Such bespoke gowns cost fortunes and were typically worn once, rarely twice. This particular dress was likely created specifically for this portrait session.

Through this masterful painting, you have the rare opportunity to meet Sissi tête-à-tête. Enjoy this intimate encounter with one of history's most captivating figures!

Enjoyed the article?