Vienna Hofburg - Imperial Apartments, Sisi Museum, Silver Collection

Emperor Franz Joseph took his responsibility as the emperor of a multi-national empire very seriously and saw his role not in the pomp of official receptions but rather as the “foremost official” of his empire, which numbered 56 million inhabitants. He thus spent most of each day in his study scrutinizing all the official documents that required his signature. His working day began before 5 am and did not end until late in the evening after attendance at official dinners, receptions or ballroom festivities. Behind the writing-desk and on the left-hand wall are portraits of Elisabeth by Franz Xaver Winterhalter showing the empress with her hair loose. These paintings were his favourite portraits of his “Angel Sisi”, as Franz Joseph called his beloved wife. The open “jib” or concealed door in the background leads into the room of the emperor’s personal valet-EN-chambre, Eugen Ketterl. Responsible for Franz Joseph’s personal welfare, he was at the emperor’s