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And including Emperor Joseph II!

from Derek Beales: Joseph II, Volume 2: Against the World, 1780 - 1790:

Joseph's alleged comment to Mozart about the Entführung, "Too many notes", has been taken as evidence of his ignorance. But he probably said something like, "Too beautiful for our ears, and monstrous many notes." It is always necessary to bear in mind, when appraising the emperor's remarks, his peculiar brand of humor or sarcasm. He was usually getting at someone. And he did not use the royal "we". The ears in question were those of the Viennese audience, whom he was mocking for their limited appreciation of Mozart's elaborate music.

(though not gonna lie, I think it is a LOT of notes)

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From:

mildred_of_midgard

Oh, that's a cool and very interesting picture, I hadn't that before!

Another good reason to reshare things, we have new people with new contributions! :D

Now I'm thinking about his vs. Fritz' wishes for their funeral again. The simplicity is certainly a shared trait.

Yeah, with Fritz's tomb looking even more simple, just the flat headstone. It took me a long time to find it and I eventually had to ask for directions, because I was expecting something with an elevation greater than -1 centimeters! :PP

But then Fritz also has the Flora statue, because why be a prince if you're not going to commission art! (With naked breasts that also surprised me. :P)

Seems to me like Fritz saw his burial place as more of a final escape, though.

Yeah, and of course he *didn't* believe in an afterlife. His burial site and instructions are much like Sanssouci itself: extremely personal. He didn't want the palace at the edge of the terrace where it could be seen on display from below, he didn't want the palace maintained at the end of his life more than necessary for his personal comfort, and he wanted a final resting place that was just him and his dogs and the art that he personally cared about. Extremely geared toward what made him feel better instead of display.

*boos FW2*

Hahahaha. Well, the rational part of my brain acknowledges that after what Fritz put him through, I don't expect him to care about Uncle Fritz's feelings any more than Fritz cared about his, but the irrational part of me had to write a whole fic because I was so upset about FW2 burying him next to FW! :PP

nor was there a central crypt for all family members to begin with.

Yes, though I'm now being reminded that there was also the poem Fritz wrote about wanting his ashes to mingle with Wilhelmine's in a single grave!

From:

selenak

Well, the rational part of my brain acknowledges that after what Fritz put him through, I don't expect him to care about Uncle Fritz's feelings any more than Fritz cared about his, but the irrational part of me had to write a whole fic because I was so upset about FW2 burying him next to FW!

I was going to say that from FW2's perspective, burying Fritz next to FW was the only possible comment on the way Fritz raised him/had him raised and then treated him as an adult. But I do get your upsetness!

But then Fritz also has the Flora statue, because why be a prince if you're not going to commission art! (With naked breasts that also surprised me. :P)

You and my Dad, who after all my lobbying for gay!Fritz at the sight of all the female nudity at Sanssouci (and there's a lot more than just that Flora statue) reverted back to "Are you sure? No man who doesn't like women sexually would want that many naked women depicted in his personal hideout!"

From:

felis

The last part reminds me - did any of you see this tumblr post? The sources seem legit (Oesterreich definitely checks out) and I rather liked the interpretation! :D

From:

selenak

Haven't seen it, no. Identifying himself with Mary Magdelene, hm. My first instinct is to say no, if for no other reason than raised by FW the Calvinist!Fritz lacks the Catholic cultural context for Mary Magdalene having this particular meaning to him. Otoh: maybe he brushed up on his saints before writing the Palladion, and at any rate, he did choose the picture, and it's certainly a very unusual Magdalene (i.e. showing her reading and without the symbols of penitence otherwise in most depictions).

On the non-existing third hand, his withdrawing into loneliness didn't stop him from building an extra palace just for representation and showing off his Silesian marble & superpower status. :) (Some Magdalene.)

From:

cahn

Oh, that's very neat!

Ngl, my first thought on seeing the picture was "Portrait of woman With Book looking all comfy reading, that's so cool, I would A+ hang that up if I were an art-collecting monarch!" So, idk, I could imagine Fritz thinking the same :)