Renowned art historian and curator Archduke Géza von Habsburg to present "Art and Politics under the Habsburgs 1450-1650," Oct. 7

MIDDLEBURY, Vt.-Archduke Géza von Habsburg, grandson of King Frederick Augustus III of Saxony and great-great grandson of Emperor Franz-Joseph of Austria, will present a slide lecture titled “Art and Politics under the Habsburgs 1450-1650” on Friday, Oct. 7, at 4:30 p.m. in Room 304 of Johnson Memorial Building at Middlebury College. The event is free and open to the public.

Born in Budapest in 1940 and fluent in seven languages, von Habsburg attended universities in Switzerland, Germany and Italy before earning his doctorate in history of art and archeology from the University of Fribourg in 1965. He has served as the chairman of European operations for the international auction house Christie, Manson, and Woods, and as chairman and principal auctioneer for Habsburg International Auctioneers. An expert on Fabergé jewelry and works of art, he has curated five internationally acclaimed Fabergé exhibitions and has authored numerous books and articles. Von Habsburg is also a frequent lecturer for the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York on topics ranging from “The Habsburgs as Patrons of the Arts” to “Celebrated Habsburg Women” and other family lore.

Middlebury College Professor of Political Science Allison Stanger is teaching a first-year seminar on empires this semester that includes a unit on the Austro-Hungarian Empire. “I thought how wonderful it would be for the students to study the Habsburgs and then actually meet a member of the family,” said Stanger, who invited von Habsburg to speak at Middlebury. “It turns out that there are multiple courses at the college this term that touch on the Habsburgs, so this lecture should present a great opportunity for others as well - not to mention the ongoing interest of the art museum and history of art and architecture department in the Habsburg collections.”

While at Middlebury, von Habsburg will review the College Museum’s Fabergé collection.

Johnson Memorial Building is located on Château Road off College Street (Route 125). For more information, contact Charlotte Tate, Middlebury College assistant director of the Rohatyn Center for International Affairs, at 802-443-5795 or tate@middlebury.edu.