Autriche-Hongrie


Carte de Visite, atelier Bülch Ágoston (August Bülch) ŕ Pesth.
Antal DOBAY, Representant du Komitat de Közép-Szolnok au Couronnement de Franz-Josef.


Bülch Ágoston et Török Flóris produisirent en 1867, ŕ l'occasion du couronnement de l'Empereur d'Autriche Franz-Josef comme Roi de Hongrie, une série de portraits des dignitaires du Royaume (des albums lui seront offerts ŕ l'initiative du Comte Andrássy).

On retrouve sur le site de de l'Österreichische Nationalbibliothek un magnifique exemplaire colorisé de ce portrait :

 

Site de de l'Österreichische Nationalbibliothek

A titre d'illustration, je ne résiste pas au plaisir de vous proposer ce savoureux compte-rendu publié dans le Times le 11 Juin 1867 :

"THE CORONATION OF THE KING OF HUNGARY
(FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDANT)
PESTH, June 6.
Within a four days' journey of our shores there is now in progress a scene such as might have been witnessed in the old barbaric world, when Kings were crowned with strange magnificence ; (...)
There was a small gathering at the foot of an hotel staircase this morning of positively startling people. One had a tall calpak of gray astrakan fur, with a yellow satin bag, ending in a great tassel of gold lace. On the front of the calpak was a scarlet medallion, bearing in embroidery the badges of the House he served -apples and leaves- his brown face and black moustache contrasted with a white lace frill with long ends ; the gold laced collar of his scarlet hussar jacket was crusted with gold ; from his shoulders hung a pelisse of green and silver trimmed with gray fox-skin, and worked all over with apples and leaves in silver ; his tight pantaloons of flaming red were slashed with silver, and his boots were of yellow Morocco leather, with a band of gold lace and tassels at the top, and gilt heels and enormus spurs, the get up being completed by a heavy curved scimitar, ablaze with all kinds of metallic finery. He and his fellow regarded each other in their new clothes with much curious wonder, each miratur novas frondes et non sua poma. These were but the "life hussars," or personal attendants of a Magyar noble, and wereby no means singular for a finery among those with whom they stood. There were men who shone as if they were in armour, in their particoloured clothing, and it was not possible their masters could devise greater glory of attire for themselves - at least one might be pardoned for thinking so. (...) miratur novas frondes et non sua poma. These were but the "life hussars," or personal attendants of a Magyar noble, and wereby no means singular for a finery among those with whom they stood. There were men who shone as if they were in armour, in their particoloured clothing, and it was not possible their masters could devise greater glory of attire for themselves - at least one might be pardoned for thinking so. (...)