Historic acquisition for Miramare Castle: the scepter of Empress Charlotte of Mexico

The CRTrieste Foundation acquired, as part of anauction held on July 18 at the Hotel de Ventes de Monte-Carlo (Principality of Monaco), a precious historical treasure: the scepter that belonged toEmpress Charlotte of Mexico. A unique object, the traces of which had been lost over time, she received as a gift from the Municipal Council of San Juan del Rio in 1864 and which will now be able to arrive in Trieste, in the Miramare Castle. Thanks to the intervention of the CRTrieste Foundation, the scepter will be given on loan to the Miramare Castle Historical Museum and Park so that it can be displayed to the public. The acquisition represents an event of international significance, on the one hand because the object symbolizes a significant period of European history in the mid-nineteenth century, and on the other because this operation makes it possible to bring back home an object that, after arriving in Europe, had come into the possession of Leopold II King of Belgium, Carlotta’s brother, who had made a gift of it to Baron Adrien Goffinet as a sign of gratitude for his good and loyal services.

The scepter of Empress Charlotte of Mexico is a 22-karat gold jewel, fully decorated in filigree and by chiseled friezes of flowers and leaves, adorned with diamonds, rubies and emeralds. In detail, the scepter is set on a sphere between scrolls and is surmounted by an imperial crown of gold threads, pearls, and eagles with spread wings. The tiara is set on a filigreed cushion of gold trimmings and is embellished with rubies, emeralds and diamonds set on the bezel. The ends of the scepter are adorned with finely chiseled leaves and acorns in relief. It is decorated with the monogram of the Mexican Empire wanted by Maximilian, with a ribbon underneath bearing the inscription “San Juan del Rio 1864.” On the base is a small plaque with the signature of goldsmith Jose Maria Larralde. The scepter is preserved in its original case.

The Directorate of the Historical Museum and Park of Miramare Castle reported to the CRTrieste Foundation that the auction house Hotel de Ventes de Monte-Carlo in the Principality of Monaco had announced the auction of Empress Charlotte’s scepter, at the behest of the descendants of Baron Adrien Goffinet, who owned it. In a very few days, the CRTrieste Foundation, having acquired the necessary information about the object, its provenance, and its historical-artistic value, also using the advice of an expert in the field, urgently convened a Board of Directors meeting, held on July 17, which resolved to participate in the auction the following day. At the outcome of the auction, Fondazione CRTrieste was awarded the artifact at a price of 120,000 euros. In the following days, the process of transferring the scepter from the Principality of Monaco to Trieste was initiated.

“Thanks to the recommendation of the Management of the Historical Museum and Park of Miramare Castle, we were able to participate in the auction of this precious scepter that has a deep connection with our territory,” said Massimo Paniccia, president of Fondazione CRTrieste. “The desire to enrich the local cultural heritage and the timeliness with which Fondazione CRTrieste acted allowed the jewel to return to the ’home’ so beloved by its first owner, Princess Charlotte of Belgium. I am convinced that the scepter will further enrich the already remarkable cultural and artistic heritage that Miramare Castle represents, giving one more reason to visit it. ”This initiative,“ President Paniccia further recalls, ”recalls the intervention carried out by the Foundation in 2008, when it played a leading role in the acquisition of the ’Art and Industry Stock’ collection. Today, as then, the Organs of Fondazione CRTrieste have acted promptly, also thanks to the private nature of the institution, thus enabling the territory to acquire a unique cultural asset, which will be able to further catalyze important tourist flows."

“I am truly grateful to Fondazione CRTrieste and its President Massimo Paniccia,” said Andreina Contessa, director of the Historical Museum and the Park of Miramare Castle, “for acting with foresight and promptness, and for allowing us to acquire a precious jewel that represents such a significant moment in the public history of the archducal couple who founded Miramare Castle and chose Trieste as their favorite and beloved home. With its discreet and active presence, the CRTrieste Foundation has closely followed and accompanied the management of the site I direct in recent years, intervening concretely in the restoration of the Torretta and, recently, in the restoration of some of the great portraits in the Throne Room picture gallery. A special thanks to the Secretary General of the Foundation Paolo Santangelo, who acted in a lightning-fast and highly effective manner, securing a very rare and valuable piece that will be for the public enjoyment of visitors to the Castle and will enrich the city’s collection.”

Informed of the prestigious purchase, the Director General of Museums of the Ministry of Culture Massimo Osanna applauds the achievement of the new acquisition, reiterating “how important is the fruitful collaboration between the public and private sectors for the recovery and enjoyment of cultural assets that, also in the case of this unprecedented and unhoped-for purchase, contribute to increasing the fame and richness of museums such as Miramare Castle and, at the same time, to deliver to posterity a historical heritage, which should be made available to all.”

Historic acquisition for Miramare Castle: the scepter of Empress Charlotte of Mexico

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