The Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna preserves a unique treasure in its collections: the Imperial Crown. Associated with the legendary Charlemagne, this crown was venerated as a sacred relic of the sovereign and retained its status as insignia of the Holy Roman Empire. It remained in use until the last coronation in 1792, etching itself into memory as one of the most important and evocative symbols of European history.
However, its use over several centuries has not only favored its conservation. It has led to numerous losses, damage, and repairs that have had a considerable impact on its current condition and appearance.
Ideal portrait of Charlemagne (747-814), copy after Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528), late 16th or early 17th century. KHM-Museumsverband, Gemäldegalerie
In 2022, the museum launched the “CROWN Project”: an interdisciplinary research project to better understand the materials, technology, and conservation status of the Imperial Crown. It brings together art historians, conservators, and scientists who are utilizing their expertise, know-how, and respective approaches to develop a collaborative research platform. For the first time, the object’s components, techniques, interventions, and alterations have been comprehensively analyzed and documented. Furthermore, a number of goldsmith objects from the same period (10th and 11th centuries) were selected to gain further information on materials and techniques used elsewhere. All this data is studied and analyzed by museum experts in collaboration with specialists from institutions such as the Louvre and the C2RMF in Paris, the Rathgen Forschungslabor in Berlin, and the Bavarian State Library in Munich.
The “CROWN project” will be completed at the end of 2024. It will allow for observations and results even more relevant and surprising than anticipated, which will subsequently be made available and accessible to the general public. Among other data, approximately 30,000 digital 3D microscopic images have been created. These images offer an unprecedented insight into the crown’s structure, its manufacture, and its state of conservation. Over 1,750 individual components have been detected, many of which are complex structures themselves. Technical drawings aim to “translate” the information and provide a clear and precise understanding not only for researchers but also for less experienced observers.
This project contributes to making culture accessible: it makes the scientific results of the “CROWN project” available to a wide audience through drawings and a 3D digital model, including schoolchildren, young people, and those interested in new technologies.
Thanks to the support of the Fondation Etrillard, the Museum will be able to produce a large number of drawings as well as the model of the crown. A documentary on the project will be presented on Austrian television by the end of 2024.
Read the Paris Match article: “The Imperial Crown of the Holy Roman Empire: gold, enamel, 172 stones and over 800 pearls”