Yellow Salon

The wall panelling in the white-and-gold colour scheme that is so typical of Schönbrunn dates from the middle of the nineteenth century. It replaced the wall hangings of colourful Chinese paper and silk fabrics from the time of Maria Theresa and her successors. The seating dates from the time around 1770. Its forms reflect the transition between the Rococo and the Louis Seize style. The reconstructed silk covers convey an impression of the original textile design of the furnishings from the reign of Maria Theresa.

A notable feature of the room is the set of pastel portraits by Joseph Pierre Lion with their realistic depictions of children from the middling classes. The room also contains the pastel of a Girl with Doll, a work by the famous artist Jean-Étienne Liotard, a painter especially favoured by Maria Theresa. These pictures contrast starkly with the classic court portraits of Maria Theresa’s children which adorn the walls of many of the rooms in the palace.