Exhibition at The Belvedere traces the impact of Maria Theresa`s cultural commitment
(Artdaily.org)

The Belvedere has seized Maria Theresa’s 300th birthday as an occasion to elucidate her relationship to the visual arts. For the exhibition, curator Georg Lechner has brought to light a number of exciting details. For example, Maria Theresa was extremely openminded and unbiased in her approach to art. Comprising some 120 works, the show traces the impact of the Austrian sovereign’s cultural commitment on posterity. Divided into six sections, the exhibition examines Maria Theresa’s approach to the visual arts. The empress was well aware of her official responsibilities as the country’s figurehead. As a tight budget only allowed her to acquire works by old masters to a limited extent, Maria Theresa concentrated above all on contemporary artists of all genres and disciplines. She had the courage to opt for unconventional solutions and an extremely progressive understanding of art. The monarch’s acquisition pol