‘Just don't lose your head! - Prince Paul I Esterházy's fearless heroines’

Pictures tell stories - they are visual testimonies of events, people and destinies. In this new exhibition at Forchtenstein Castle, curated by Florian Bayer and Margit Kopp, the focus is on paintings depicting strong women who overcame their male adversaries with courage and “cunning“. Around 350 years ago, these motifs were part of Prince Paul I Esterházy's pictorial programme at Eisenstadt Palace and Forchtenstein Castle.

In particular, the biblical Judith, who presents the head of the general Holofernes, played a central role among the paintings once on the premises. Jaël, who killed her opponent by stabbing him in the temple with a tent peg, and Salome with the head of John the Baptist were also represented in the Esterházy residences. In addition to these heroines, mythological protagonists also appear, as shown in a small painting of Mercury handing over the severed head of the all-seeing Argus to Juno.

The frequent depictions of Judith are closely linked to the personal life story of Prince Paul I Esterházy. Influenced by his education under the Jesuits and his role as the heroine in their school theatre, he saw her as a symbol of the righteous fight against the enemy - whether in war or in faith. The imagery of his paintings and his identification with the Old Testament Judith were combined with his role as defender of Hungary against the Ottomans and as a devotee of the Virgin Mary. The heroine was regarded as a “prefiguration of Mary“, which was also presented as such in the theatre play.

However, it was not only religious and mythological references that played a role in Esterházy's pictorial programme. The paintings with severed heads also reflected and to a certain extent thematised his experiences and influences in his closest family environment. They recalled Esterházy's, Hungary's and the Habsburgs' struggle for sovereignty against the Ottomans pushing westwards. Faith and politics were closely intertwined in Europe and thus also in the person of the prince. Catholicism, an intense engagement with biblical and mythological protagonists and the defence of the West against the Ottomans shaped the prince's thoughts and actions. These backgrounds are essential for understanding his pictorial programme.

In addition to depictions of biblical and ancient heroines on the theme of the severed head, the exhibition also includes very personal portraits with a corresponding subject. These include the portraits of Paul I and first wife Ursula as the Old Testament heroine Judith. An outstanding depiction of the conqueror of Holofernes from the artistic circle of Lucas Cranach sets a further special accent. A Salome after Titian from Esterházy's Kunstkammer is also part of the collection of paintings of strong women, which bear witness to the prince's artistic engagement with religious, political and personal themes.

The seasonal exhibition “Don't lose your head! - Prince Paul I Esterházy's fearless heroines’“ invites visitors to discover this fascinating world of images from the end of March to October 2025. It can be seen as a presentation embedded in the rooms of the permanent exhibition ‘Heroes - Treasures - Plunder’, which can be viewed with a castle ticket without a guided tour.