The special presentation Ansichtssache, which regularly showcases different works temporarily within the permanent exhibition of the Paintings Gallery at the Kunsthistorisches Museum, highlights in its 29th edition a masterful portrait of the nine-month-old Princess Marie-Therese of Bourbon-Sicily. This presentation invites visitors to explore the work of two celebrated court artists, Anton Raphael Mengs and Diego Velázquez, in greater depth.

Long kept in storage, the portrait of the infant princess has regained its extraordinary painterly quality thanks to a recent restoration. This restoration, along with the accompanying art historical analysis, sheds new light on Mengs: more than previously recognized, he drew inspiration from Diego Velázquez, his predecessor as court painter in Madrid. Additionally, the portrait’s strikingly vivid naturalism reflects a changing perception of childhood in the late 18th century.