“Solemn marriage of His Imperial and Royal Apostolic Majesty Franz Josef I with Her Royal Highness Princess Elisabeth in Bavaria in the Court Chapel of St. Augustine on April 24, 1854.”

Lithograph on paper, 1854

For Franz Joseph, the choice was evidently clear from the moment of their first meeting. Elisabeth completely corresponded to the ideal of the shy, naive and inexperienced bride who was overwhelmed by her emotions.

For Elisabeth, this meant that she was suddenly catapulted into the public eye. She was expected to fulfil the various roles of an empress - mother of the nation, first lady of society, emotional support of the monarch, self-sacrificing mother of an ideally rapidly growing family, etc. A task that she struggled with throughout her entire life.