Prince Eugene of Savoy was already 62 years old when he bought Schloß Hof and let it remodel. A special feature was the estate farm nearby. After Prince Eugene’s death Maria Theresia and her son Joseph II used it. Then nobody was really interested in it.
In my childhood (also a long time ago) the view visits to Schloß Hof and Niederweiden (which is not far away) were very depressing. The buildings were ruined, the gardens neglected. Suddenly a reactivation began and step by step the started to renovate everything. The palace, the estate farm including animals and the gardens nearly look like 250 years ago. Meanwhile Schloß Hof organises frequently various events, workshops, picnics, and theme markets – I have an annual ticket now. It is a little bit tricky going there without a car, but they provide a free shuttle service from the train station Marchegg and a Hop on Hop off bus from Vienna. If you ever come to Vienna I highly recommend visiting Schloß Hof. You can spend a marvellous day there.
Last weekend an arts and craft festival took place. A good opportunity to sketch a little bit. I started in the old style with ink and watercolour by sketching the entrance to the orangery garden.
I have never sketched a statue before (Besides people and cars that’s another motive I usually avoid.) Using only watercolour I started with the darkest shapes and went on to the brightest ones. After that I tried to paint all proportions and angels with the statue as reference point. Not my biggest success nevertheless I will go on practising.
It was somehow easier in the nibbling garden looking to the entrance of the rose garden. As (nearly) always when sketching in plain air it was overcast and I had to "invent" the shadows.
