The inventory of the estate of Archduke Ferdinand II.

Lecture by Elisabeth Reitter, project member at Ambras Castle Innsbruck, on Archduke Ferdinand II's estate inventory from 1596 - just a list of his art possessions?

Precious tableware, unusual musical instruments, Asian palm leaf fans, special swords and fine armour - but also empty chests, unusable travel beds and broken brass candlesticks...
The 1596 estate inventory is the most important source for the Ambras collections, which form one of the core holdings of the Kunsthistorisches Museum. At the same time, this historical document paints a multifaceted picture of the lifestyle and personality of Archduke Ferdinand II (1529-1595) of Tyrol on the basis of the art and everyday objects described.

The lecture provides an insight into a cross-collection research project that has made it possible to process this handwritten inventory, which is important in terms of art and cultural history - from the transcription of the original text and object identification to the creation of the digital edition...