Kyle Goodwin, Communitarian Staff Reporter

            Dr. Olivia Florek, professor of art history at DCCC, has published “The Celebrity Monarch: Empress Elisabeth and The Modern Female Portrait.” The book exams the life of Elisabeth who was Empress of Austria and one of the most beautiful women of Europe. It also addressed her underestimated influence on appointed leaders and public officials of her time.

            Empress Elizabeth, wife of Emperor Franz Joseph, was the empress of Austria from 1854-1898 until she was tragically assassinated by an Italian anarchist.  Netflix has recently released a series capturing some of the highlights of the empress’ life and influence.

            Dr. Florek focusesof how Empress Elizabeth influenced and prepared public officials for interactions with the public.  The Empress had a unique and eccentric style unlike anything of her time.  Historians have tended to underestimate the power of her influence.

 Her beauty and style are still influencing the modern day female.

Dr. Beth Ann Muellner chair of Russian and German women’s studies at the College of Wooster, said the book “brings the misunderstood and seemingly static genre of royal portraiture into a conversation with modernity and contemporary interpretations of royalty, connecting to modern discourses of celebrity culture.”