Author: KLEINER, Salomon
Title: Representations des Animaux de la Menagerie de...
Date: 1734
Price: GBP £ 5,500
Book Code: 210

Representations des Animaux de la Menagerie de...Prince Eugene François de Savoye et de Piemont, engraved throughout with title and 12 plates, title and captions in French and German,loose as issued in modern cloth-backed patterned-board portfolio, oblong folio, Augsburg, 1734

Salomon Kleiner is one of the most notable veduta draftsmen and engravers of the 18th century. His importance lies in the precise reproduction of South German and Viennese buildings and gardens of the Baroque era. His extensive representation of Belvedere Palace, the pleasure palace of Prince Eugene of Savoy, is of particular value. After Eugenes death the Palace was purchased by the Imperial family and served to accomodate parts of the expanding Imperial collection. The Lower Belvedere Palace housed the Ambras Collection and parts of the Antiquities, while the Upper Belvedere accommodated the paintings.

Prince Eugen of Savoy (1663-1736) was also a grand collector of animals and birds. He used some of his great wealth to install a semi-circular menagerie on one side of his Belvedere summer palace. It was considered one of the most beautiful menageries in Europe and one of the major attractions in Vienna during the early 18th century.  Prince Eugen and his guests could view his animals and birds from the grand windows of his upper palace residence. His collection of rarities included an "Indian" wolf, an axis deer, and a striped hyena. Following the death of Prinz Eugen, Emperor Charles VI, father of Maria Theresia, bought his menagerie and transferred the animals and birds to the Neugebaeude Palace.

Eugène, Prince of Savoy (known in Austria as Prinz Eugen), b. Paris (France), Oct. 18, 1663, d. Vienna, April 21, 1736, army commander and statesman. Great nephew of Cardinal Mazarin. After being rejected by the French military, he entered the Imperial Army in 1683 and fought in the liberation of Vienna (Turkish Sieges of Vienna), as well as the campaigns in Hungary until 1689; until 1693 fought against the French in Italy; in 1697 became high commander of the imperial army in the Turkish Wars and defeated them at Zenta. From 1700 fought in Italy in the War of the Spanish Succession, and with the Duke of Marlborough (J. Churchill) emerged victorious near Höchstädt in Bavaria in 1704, liberated Turin in 1706, defeated the French (again with Marlborough) in 1708 at Oudenaarde and in 1709 at Malplaquet, but in 1712 was unsuccessful.

Prince Eugene was considered an important advisor to Emperors Leopold I, Joseph I and Karl VI (great powers of the Baroque age), as well as being one of the most important building patrons of the Baroque period. His winter palace in Himmelpfortgasse in Vienna (now the Ministry of Finance) was built by J. B. Fischer von Erlach and J. L. von Hildebrandt, Belvedere Palace and Schloßhof Palace in Marchfeld were built by J. L. von Hildebrandt. Prince E. was a great lover of books ("Eugeniana" in the Grand Hall of the Austrian National Library) and collector; he kept a menagerie in Belvedere Palace. He did not marry. His gravestone is in St. Stephen's Cathedral, and a monument to him stands on Heldenplatz (A. D. von Fernkorn, 1865). Other monuments can be found in Budapest and Torino, apotheosis by B. Permoser in the Lower Belvedere; numerous paintings, busts, and other works document his accomplishments.