Jan Adam Kruseman (1804-1862) was the portrait painter of choice for the Dutch high society in the beginning of the 19th century.

These two portraits are typical works, a person in the latest fashion with a dog.

 Jan Adam Kruseman (1804-1862) was the portrait painter of

Today's video tells the story of the incredible Empress Sisi.

Empress Elisabeth of Austria in Courtly Gala Dress with Diamond Stars was painted by Franz Xaver Winterhalter in 1865.

I just released a video about this stunning portrait of Empress Elisabath of Austria (better known as Sisi), in which I discuss this work, her fashion and beauty, her incredibly thick long hair, and her difficult life at the court. You can find the link to the video in my bio.

This portrait shows her at age 27, wearing a white satin evening dress, decorated with thousands of foil silver stars, shining brightly under a transparent layer of tulle. And she has her long hair tied up, studded with more silver stars.

But maybe the story of Sisi's life is even more interesting than the portrait of her... I hope you enjoy it!

 Today's video tells the story of the incredible Empress

Black-Haired Beauty was painted by Boleslaw von Szankowski (1873-1953), a Polish portrait painter working in Munich.

His idealized portrait paintings of women and children were popular among the European high society.

He liked to position his models outside, though he made the background so indistinct that the location or setting is hard to identify. Instead, he put all focus on the portraits themselves and made sure that the background did not distract from that.