Replicas of Empress-Queen Elisabeth’s (Sisi) dresses

The replicas below was made by fashion designer Mónika Czédly

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The replica of Duchess Elisabeth’s plaid dress, 1853

Elisabeth was 15 years old in 1853. The replica of the dress based on the photo and a colour lithograph (by Franz Hohe-Anton Brugger) was made in 2010. The straw hat was made by Andrásné Marika Tóth. A Munich photographer Alois Löcherer took the first known photograph of Sisi, who was barely 15 years old at that time. 

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The replica of the riding gown of Duchess Elisabeth in Bavaria, 1853

 

Elisabeth on horseback in front of Possenhoffen Palace, 1853. A Christmas present for the groom (Emperor Franz Joseph) was a painting by Carl Theodor von Piloty and Franz Adam, from which the steel engraving above was made.

The replica was made in 2009.

From the beginning, Elisabeth and Franz Joseph both loved horse riding and nature. This painting was a Christmas present by the bride for the groom. At this time, ladies rode in sidesaddles.

Photo left: replica of the dress. Photo by Krisztina Szoboszlai.

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The replica of the dress Duchess Elisabeth in Bavaria  wore as the bride of the Emperor when arriving in Nussdorf, 1854

 

 

The replica of the dress was based on lithograph by Eduard Kaiser and surviving descriptions of the arrival of Duchess Elisabeth of Bavaria in Nussdorf, 1854. In the photo: Dorottya Nánási in 2022. Dorottya won the first place in the Hungarian World Beauty Competition in 2023. Photo of Dorottya: Krisztina Szoboszlai.

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Empress Elisabeth’s Hungarian ceremonial gown, 1854

Oil painting by an unknown artist (circa 1855): Empress Elisabeth in a Hungarian ceremonial gown. The painting belongs to the Móra Ferenc Museum in Szeged. The replica won “The Hungarian Handicraft Masterpiece Award” in 2018. In the photo: Dorottya Nánási in 2022. Dorottya won the first place in the Hungarian World Beauty Competition in 2023. Photo of Dorottya: Krisztina Szoboszlai.

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The replica of Empress Elisabeth’s lace dress with ivy, 1854

Painter Franz Schrotzberg. „Portrait of the young Empress from the time of her marriage in 1854. The portrait of the Empress in lace dress with ivy was repeatedly varied and by the renowned Viennese portrait painter Franz Schrotzberg. The ivy is considered a symbol of fidelity and eternal life.” The painting is listed in the Auction Catalogue of the Viennese Dorotheum of 13 June 2023 (www.dorotheum.com). The replica was based on the painting, 2022. The third image was taken in the park of the Achilleion Palace in Cofu.

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The replica of Empress Elisabeth’s court gown, 1857/58

Empress Elisabeth in court gown, 1859. Oil painting by Franz Russ Sr. and the replica of the dress based on the painting, made in 2010 (In the photo: Actress Dóra Szabó. Location: Royal Palace of Gödöllő).

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The replica of Empress Elisabeth’s dress with Swiss blouse, 1863.

Empress Elisabeth in the so-called Swiss blouse, 1863. Photograph by Ludwig Angerer (Austrian National Library) and the replica of the dress based on the photograph, made in 2009 (Photo: Royal Palace, Gödöllő.) In the photo: Tímea Dutka, guide of the Royal Palace. Photo: Krisztina Szoboszlai.

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The replica of Empress Elisabeth’s ball gown
worn in the painting by Franz Xaver Winterhalter, 1864

Empress Elisabeth in a ball gown with diamond stars, 1864. The replica of the dress made in 2009 based on the oil painting by Franz Xaver Winterhalter. In the photo: Actress Dóra Szabó. Location: Royal Palace of Gödöllő.

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The replica of Empress Elisabeth’s dress worn in a photograph, 1865.

Photograph of Empress Elisabeth by the Munich court photographer Josef Albert and the replica based on the photograph (Photo: Blanka Berta, guide of the Royal Palace. Location: the Royal Palace of Gödöllő. Photo by Krisztina Szoboszlai).

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The replica of Empress Elisabeth’s  dress in Hungarian national colours
worn at the commoners’ ball in Pest on 6 February 1866.

Franz Joseph and Elisabeth at the commoners’ ball in Pest on 6 February 1866. The dress is in Hungarian national colours (red, green and white). Steel engraving by Bertalan Székely. The replica was based on the engraving and the articles published in Hungarian newspapers in 1866. The replica of the dress was made in 2010.

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The replica of Empress Elisabeth’s black velvet dress, 1866

Empress Elisabeth with her dog Horsegarde, 1866. The photo was taken by Emil Rabending in March, in 1866. The replica of the dress based on the photo was made in 2009. In the photo: Actress Zsófia Pál.

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“Coronation dress” after the photos of Emil Rabending, 1866

„Coronation dress” after the photos of Emil Rabending. Queen Elisabeth in her „coronation gown”, the photo was taken by Emil Rabending on 17 March in 1866. The replica of the gown based on the photo was made in 2007. Based on research by historian Patricia Zita Pálinkás.

The photo in the middle was taken by Krisztina Szoboszlai. In the photo: Viktória Vas Living History Interpreter.

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The replica of Queen Elisabeth’s real coronation gown with “diamonds”, 8 June, 1867

The gown that Elisabeth wore in Matthias Church on 8 June 1866.

Bertalan Székely’s painting is owned by the József Attila Museum in Makó. The replica made in 2017 was based on the painting, based on research by historian Patricia Zita Pálinkás. The replica of the real coronation gown won the „Hungarian Craftsman’s Remek” award in 2017. The picture on the right was taken in the original place of the dress, in the Matthias Church in Buda. In the photo: Viktória Vas Living History Interpreter. Photo by Krisztina Szoboszlai. 

In the subtitled video below, Mónika Czédly introduces the replica and reveals pieces of the original dress.

(See the credits below the YouTube video.)

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The replica of the ball gown of Empress Elisabeth, 1879

Franz Joseph and Elisabeth celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary in 1879; the Empress-Queen was still beautiful, despite the fact that in this period a woman over 40 was considered an ‘old woman’.  Empress Elisabeth in a ball gown and ruby jewellery set 1878-79, oil painting by Georg Raab. The replica of the gown based on the painting was made in 2011.

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The replica of Empress Elisabeth’s Christmas dress, 1886/1887

The replica of Empress Elisabeth’s Christmas dress based on the picture by Wilhelm Gause (1886/1887). The replica was made in 2021.

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The replica of the dress Empress Elisabeth wore during her assassination in
Geneva, 10 September 1898

The dress worn by Empress Elisabeth at the time of her assassination in Geneva on 10 September 1898. The first picture is a photograph of the original dress taken during the time of Franz Joseph, the second two are of the replica of the dress. The replica was made for a film shoot in 2021. The original dress still reveals the stab wound (the Empress was stabbed in the heart by an Italian anarchist), the replica shows the dress in its pre-assassination state and, therefore, without the stab wound.

The original dress now belongs to the Hungarian National Museum. The photo on the left shows the original on display at the temporary exhibition of the Móra Ferenc Museum in Szeged (the exhibition ran until the end of 2021).

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A replica based on a posthumous portrait of Empress Elisabeth

A full-length posthumous portrait of Empress and Queen Elisabeth, after 1898. The original portrait was painted by József Koppay for the Viennese Jockey Club. The replica based on the painting was made in 2009.

After Elisabeth’s tragic death, a large number of pictures were painted to commemorate her memory. The majority of the portraits were based on old photographs, proportionally ‘ageing’ Elisabeth’s face while preserving her youth. 

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Posthumous picture of Queen Elisabeth, 1899. Oil painting by Gyula Benczúr.

After Elisabeth’s death, Franz Joseph commissioned three Hungarian artists to paint a portrait of his „beloved angel” for the ladies closest to the Queen. Gyula Benczúr’s picture was painted for Ida Ferenczy and later donated by Ida to the Queen Elisabeth Memorial Museum, which opened in 1908. The Queen also wore her black silk dress in 1896-97, which was kept in the Queen Elisabeth Memorial Museum until 1945. The original dress, which has been lost since then, reflected the fashion of the time, and has all the hallmarks of her taste from the ruffled neckline to the wide belt.

The replica of Empress Elisabeth’s dress, based on a posthumous portrait 

Pictures of the replica. In the photo Melinda Vilman, broadcaster and copywriter. The photo was taken by Krisztina Szoboszlai.

The replica of the dress based on the painting was made in 2009.

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A replica based on a posthumous portrait of Empress Elisabeth

Bertalan Karlovszky (1858-1938): Queen Elisabeth, 1900. The replica based on the painting was made in 2017. Photos by Krisztina Szoboszlai. Location: the Royal Palace of Gödöllő. In the photos: Blanka Berta, guide of the palace.

Replica of a dress attributed to Empress Elisabeth’s Corfu wardrobe 

In Halbturn, Austria, Mónika Czédly’s 21 replicas were on display in her exhibition with historian Katrin Unterreiner from 8 April to 20 November 2022.

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Replica of a dress attributed to Empress Elisabeth’s Corfu wardrobe 

The blue dress is on display at the Sisi Museum in Vienna, where experts believe it belonged to Empress Elisabeth’s Corfu wardrobe… The replica of this museum piece was made in 2022.The two photos of the replica were taken in the park of the Achilleion Palace in Corfu, for which the replica was made.

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The replica of the Hungarian ceremonial gown of Ida Ferenczy,
Empress and Queen Elisabeth’s confidant, 1896

The Hungarian gown of Ida Ferenczy, Empress and Queen Elisabeth’s confidant. The image of the replica was taken by Krisztina Szoboszlai. In the photo: Melinda Vilman, broadcaster and copywriter.

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The replica of Countess Sztáray’s dress, Geneva, September, 1898

Photograph taken in 1898: Empress Elisabeth was photographed by a paparazzi in the company of her lady-in-waiting, Countess Irma Sztáray, at a shop in Territet, in the week of the assassination. The Empress is the taller lady, with her lady-in-waiting beside her.

In the middle image is the replica of Countess Sztáray’s dress (photo by Krisztina Szoboszlai). Next photo: the dress Empress Elisabeth wore at the time of the assassination in Geneva (see above), on its left, the replica of the dress and hat worn by Imra Sztáray.