Francesca von Habsburg
Encyclopedia
Francesca von Habsburg-Lothringen (born 7 June 1958) is an art collector and the wife of Karl Habsburg-Lothringen
, head of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine.
the daughter of Baron Hans Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza
and his third wife, fashion model Fiona Frances Elaine Campbell-Walter. She was educated at Le Rosey in Switzerland
and at the age of eighteen attended the Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design
but left after two years. After leaving the college she worked as an actress, singer and model
Her partying lifestyle in London in the 1980s earned her reputation as an It girl
. For the ten years after she left Saint Matins college she lived in England, New York
and Los Angeles
before moving to Lugano
to become curator
for her father's art collection.
During the war in Croatia Francesca visited the country to help protect Croatia's heritage and artworks and to help restore churches and paintings damaged during the fighting.
Francesca is now a leading figure in the art world and regularly participates in the major biennales by commissioning new works of contemporary art through her foundation called Thyssen-Bornemisza Art Contemporary which she founded in 2002 in Vienna Austria. and has built up her own art collection with over four hundred pieces of contemporary video and digital art. The website of the foundation is www.tba21.org. TBA21 has an exhibition space in a historical palace on Himmelpfortgasse 13, in Vienna. It exhibits works from the collection in thematic exhibitions twice a year. The Foundation also organises exhibitions of its collection world wide.
She appeared as Queen Marie-Henriette
in the production Kronprinz Rudolf (2006), directed by Robert Dornhelm
.
, son of Dr. Otto von Habsburg
, in Mariazell
on 31 January 1993. They have three children.
Francesca and Karl have been amicably separated since 2003.
|-
|-
|-
|-
|-
Karl Habsburg-Lothringen
Karl von Habsburg , referred to in Austria as Karl Habsburg-Lothringen, in France as Charles de Habsbourg-Lorraine, in the Czech Lands as Karel Habsbursko-Lotrinský, in Hungary as Habsburg Károly, and by his royal name as Archduke Karl of Austria, is an Austrian politician,...
, head of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine.
Life
She was born as Francesca Anne Dolores Freiin Thyssen-Bornemisza de Kászon et Impérfalva in LausanneLausanne
Lausanne is a city in Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland, and is the capital of the canton of Vaud. The seat of the district of Lausanne, the city is situated on the shores of Lake Geneva . It faces the French town of Évian-les-Bains, with the Jura mountains to its north-west...
the daughter of Baron Hans Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza
Baron Hans Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza
Hans Henrik Ágost Gábor Tasso Freiherr Thyssen-Bornemisza de Kászon et Impérfalva , a noted industrialist and art collector, was a Dutch-born Swiss citizen with a Hungarian title, a legal resident of Monaco for tax purposes, with a declared second residency in the United Kingdom, but in actuality...
and his third wife, fashion model Fiona Frances Elaine Campbell-Walter. She was educated at Le Rosey in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
and at the age of eighteen attended the Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design
Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design
Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design is a constituent college of the University of the Arts London. The school has an outstanding international reputation, and is considered one of the world's leading art and design institutions...
but left after two years. After leaving the college she worked as an actress, singer and model
Model (person)
A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....
Her partying lifestyle in London in the 1980s earned her reputation as an It girl
It girl
"It girl" is a term for a young woman who possess the quality "It", absolute attraction.The early usage of the concept "it" in this meaning may be seen in a story by Rudyard Kipling: "It isn't beauty, so to speak, nor good talk necessarily. It's just 'It'."...
. For the ten years after she left Saint Matins college she lived in England, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
before moving to Lugano
Lugano
Lugano is a city of inhabitants in the city proper and a total of over 145,000 people in the agglomeration/city region, in the south of Switzerland, in the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino, which borders Italy...
to become curator
Curator
A curator is a manager or overseer. Traditionally, a curator or keeper of a cultural heritage institution is a content specialist responsible for an institution's collections and involved with the interpretation of heritage material...
for her father's art collection.
During the war in Croatia Francesca visited the country to help protect Croatia's heritage and artworks and to help restore churches and paintings damaged during the fighting.
Francesca is now a leading figure in the art world and regularly participates in the major biennales by commissioning new works of contemporary art through her foundation called Thyssen-Bornemisza Art Contemporary which she founded in 2002 in Vienna Austria. and has built up her own art collection with over four hundred pieces of contemporary video and digital art. The website of the foundation is www.tba21.org. TBA21 has an exhibition space in a historical palace on Himmelpfortgasse 13, in Vienna. It exhibits works from the collection in thematic exhibitions twice a year. The Foundation also organises exhibitions of its collection world wide.
She appeared as Queen Marie-Henriette
Marie Henriette of Austria
Marie Henriette of Austria was the queen consort of King Leopold II of Belgium.-Family:...
in the production Kronprinz Rudolf (2006), directed by Robert Dornhelm
Robert Dornhelm
Robert Dornhelm is an Austrian film and television director of Romanian ancestry. He has worked on numerous television programmes and has also released such movies as Echo Park, The Venice Project, Der Unfisch, and A Further Gesture...
.
Personal life
Francesca married the heir to the Habsburg family, Archduke KarlKarl Habsburg-Lothringen
Karl von Habsburg , referred to in Austria as Karl Habsburg-Lothringen, in France as Charles de Habsbourg-Lorraine, in the Czech Lands as Karel Habsbursko-Lotrinský, in Hungary as Habsburg Károly, and by his royal name as Archduke Karl of Austria, is an Austrian politician,...
, son of Dr. Otto von Habsburg
Otto von Habsburg
Otto von Habsburg , also known by his royal name as Archduke Otto of Austria, was the last Crown Prince of Austria-Hungary from 1916 until the dissolution of the empire in 1918, a realm which comprised modern-day Austria, Hungary, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Slovakia,...
, in Mariazell
Mariazell
Mariazell is a small city in Austria, in Styria, well known for winter sports, 143 km N. of Graz. It is picturesquely situated in the valley of the Salza, amid the north Styrian Alps....
on 31 January 1993. They have three children.
- Archduchess Eleonore of Austria (born 28 February 1994)
- Archduke Ferdinand Zvonimir of AustriaArchduke Ferdinand Zvonimir of Austria-Notes:...
(born 21 June 1997) - Archduchess Gloria of Austria (born 15 October 1999)
Francesca and Karl have been amicably separated since 2003.
Ancestry
See also
- ThyssenThyssenSee also variant spellings including Thiessen.Thyssen may refer to:*The Thyssen family, which has many notable members including:**Friedrich Thyssen**August Thyssen**Fritz Thyssen**Bodo Thyssen**Heinrich, Baron Thyssen-Bornemisza de Kászon...
- Thyssen familyThyssen familyThe Thyssen family has notable members, all of whom descend from Friedrich Thyssen, which established steel works, elevators and escalators, industrial conglomerates, banks, and art collections - Thyssen AG, ThyssenKrupp and ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems. Originating from Germany, family members have...
- Baron Hans Heinrich Thyssen-BornemiszaBaron Hans Heinrich Thyssen-BornemiszaHans Henrik Ágost Gábor Tasso Freiherr Thyssen-Bornemisza de Kászon et Impérfalva , a noted industrialist and art collector, was a Dutch-born Swiss citizen with a Hungarian title, a legal resident of Monaco for tax purposes, with a declared second residency in the United Kingdom, but in actuality...
- Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum
External links
- We Are Not a Muse
- Ancestors of Baroness Francesca Anne Thyssen-Bornemisza de Kaszon
- Ancestors of Archduchess Eleonore of Austria
- Ancestors of Archduke Ferdinand of Austria
- Ancestors of Archduchess Gloria of Austria
- Thyssen-Bornemissza de Kászon et Impérfalva Family
|-
|-
|-
|-
|-