18th-Century Characters, Including Frederick the Great, Discussion Post 34

[cahn]

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)

Comments

Re: Collected replies re: Joseph and Leopold , mainly

[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!"

Fritz and Female Nudity in Art

[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

Re: Fritz and Female Nudity in Art

[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.)

Re: Fritz and Female Nudity in Art

[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 :)