photo sharing and upload picture albums photo forums search pictures popular photos photography help login
Phil Douglis | all galleries >> Galleries >> Gallery Four: Finding meaning in details > Death of an empire, Vienna, Austria, 2003
previous | next
24-APR-2003

Death of an empire, Vienna, Austria, 2003

Austria's Archduke Franz Ferdinand, died wearing this uniform in Sarajevo on June 28, 1914, at the hands of an assassin. His assassination triggered World War I, and the 400 year old Habsburg dynasty, along with its empire, perished four years later, changing the map of Europe forever. As the third photo in my sequence of detailed symbols of this event, I concentrate primarily on the damage to the uniform. I emphasized the large gash in the fabric and the faded blood stains still visible after nearly 90 years. The political effects of this assassination are still being felt in the Balkans a century after his murder.

Canon PowerShot G2
1/25s f/2.2 at 12.5mm full exif

other sizes: small medium large original auto
share
Phil Douglis13-Jan-2005 00:23
I am fascinated by the fact that this image also put you in the role of war widow, Zandra. You have a pronounced sense of human empathy, and this image has obviously aroused it in you. I thank you for extending the symbolism of these details to all the soldiers killed in all the wars, to the suffering of those who survive them. Once again, an expressive image can represent many things to many people, depending upon the personal qualities they can bring to the image. Your sensitive and caring persona goes far beyond historical detail here, Zandra. You feel the pain of loss and obviously regret the necessity of war. I looked at this image from the historical standpoint, while you interpret its meaning in a deeply humane context. This tells us as much about Zandra Tiitso as it does about the Archduke Franz Ferdinand.
Guest 12-Jan-2005 21:22
Yes, i know about his wife and her assassination with her husband. Still, i do get the feeling as if i were the widdow, not she. Without having ben to the museum and without any historical connectiosn to the uniform, it becomes more of a general uniform for me. It can be the uniform of a king, a Archduke, a common soldier...i see more then one symbolism in this image. I see the symbole for a world torn a aprt by war, started by the assassination of Franz Ferdinand, and as you say...one war lead to another which lead to another and the conflict is till very present in the Balkans. But i also see beond the grade of this uniform and who wor it. I see all the soilders who died in all those wars...and the widows who was left home to receive the word about the husbands. Kids left without a father, turn up families...see the rip int the jacket. It may not only be a world but also the hart of the women left behind, the har of the men who saw the camrats fall beside them, the senety of the world and the senety of man. This is one jacket that represents many many values...in my view and my mind.
Phil Douglis12-Jan-2005 20:57
Your comment speaks eloquently of the power of detail to symbolize larger meaning, Zandra. First, a few clarifications for you. This is not the uniform of a soldier, but rather the heir to the throne of the entire Austro-Hungarian Empire. That is why his assassination started World War I. And secondly, he had no widow. His wife, Sophie was riding the car with him when he was shot. She, too, was murdered by the assassin.

I am glad you focused on the blood and rip, Zandra. The blood has dried and faded, but it symbolizes all the blood that would be shed because of this mortal wound. The tear in the fabric symbolizes the tearing apart of the world as we knew it then. It would never, ever be the same again. Actually, the bullet itself made only part of the tear -- I am sure the surgeons tried to stop the bleeding by cutting open his jacket, rather than just taking it off. And yes, you guessed right again, Zandra -- I want that tear to continue on beyond the frame, as if it would never end. Just as the events this wound triggered have never ended. World War I led to World War II which, in turn, created hatreds and fighting that still goes on in the very place he was murdered -- the Balkans.

I am glad you want to touch it also, Zandra. When you use detail as content, you often create a sensual picture, stimulating one or more of the senses in extraordinary ways. Zoom in on a chocolate cake and your mouth starts to water, right? Zoom in on a ripped piece of fabric, and the tension causes your fingers to instinctively want to touch it and see if it is as real as it looks to your eyes (another sense).

Hope this answers your questions and confirms your instincts. You have now felt as if you were a part of history. You've seen it in a way that may make it come to life for you. As you say, details can speak millions.
Guest 12-Jan-2005 14:28
I love details like this Phil. They can tell a whole story by just a glimpse. This tells us about a man who got wounded bad, the man was a solider of a somewhat important rank (can’t tell which though, not my area) What the story not foretells is that the man dies and that his death cause one of the biggest and most cruel wars in modern history, but one can guess from the blood and the rip in the fabric. Is there a reason as to why you did not include the whole rip in the fabric, maybe to be able to include the buttons on the other side or is there any other reason? In a way it gives me the feeling it continues a long way outside the frame that the cut was really really long. The diagonal composition creates even more drama. The placement of the cut creates such tension that I almost reach out with my hand to touch it as if to ensure myself that what I see is right or does my eye deceive me. When moving in close like this it is like having the uniform in the lap, as if I were the widow who got presented with this uniform together with words of condolences. Details can speak millions.
Phil Douglis11-Dec-2004 23:14
Glad to see that this image is working on your mind, Clara. I agree. There are layers of history in these blood stained fibers. That is why I moved in so closely to examine the detail and throw it back in your face. This bit of spilled blood led to more spilled blood -- the First World War. The repercussions of the First World War are still being felt in places like the Balkans, the Middle East and Iraq. You are right about rulers -- not just dynastic rulers, but all who wield unchecked power by fooling their subjects into submission.
Guest 11-Dec-2004 21:01
History is an occult subject, do not believe what school books say. There are layers under layers under layers, like in this uniform there is dust of one hundred battles. The dynasties ruling have been the same for ages and they have refined their methods to hide themselves from people, letting them to believe that now they, the people, rule.
Phil Douglis09-May-2004 19:19
Thanks, Bruce, for your excellent analysis of this picture, one of my favorite images. It is, indeed, a very static museum display, but also a very important one. The details speak because the composition, as you note, makes them work together inside of the frame (as well as implied outside of the frame) as a message. My framing decisions were made consciously, and that lustrous shine of the fabric you mentioned strongly contrasts to the brownish gold faded bloodstains. Making beauty out of tragedy here was my intention, an ironic comment on the event that triggered World War I.
Guest 09-May-2004 12:20
I like the way you composed this shot. Your focal point is the gash, yet it is off-center and continues off frame. The angled rows of buttons point to the neck of the tunic (which again runs off-frame). The fabric has a lustrous shine. This is beauty from tragedy and what may have been (as I've never been there) a rather static museum display?
Phil Douglis10-Dec-2003 00:26
Still another profound interpretation of this picture, Tim. I did not consider the arrangement of the buttons to represent the ordered march of history, but I can agree with how you can see it that way. On the other hand, I definitely saw the headless tunic as representing a world gone mad when i made this shot. You have a good eye for detail, design, and a good mind for photographic meaning. Thank you, Tim, for your wonderful contributions to these galleries.

Phil
Tim May09-Dec-2003 23:40
Stepping back from the clear power of this image, I also notice the wonderfuly "design" of it. the interacting diagonals of the buttons, the gash which cuts across the march of ordered history, and the red semi-circle in the top corner. With this gash the world lost its way - its head.
Type your message and click Add Comment
It is best to login or register first but you may post as a guest.
Enter an optional name and contact email address. Name
Name Email
help private comment