Reconstructing Empress Eugénie's position as private collector and public patron, this study is the first to examine Eugénie (1826-1920) in these roles. Her patronage and collecting is considered within the context of her political roles in the development of France's institutions and international relations. The book also examines representations of the empress, and the artistic transformation of a Hispanic woman into a leading figure in French politics.

Eugenie de Montijo was Empress of the French, sharing the Second Empire with her husband Napoleon III. She impressed the Prussian Chancellor Bismarck so much that he called her The only man in Paris.

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