--- type: press_release title: Franz Xaver Messerschmidt language: en url: "https://www.belvedere.at/en/press/franz-xaver-messerschmidt" --- # Franz Xaver Messerschmidt ### More Than Character Heads 31 October 2025 – 6 April 2026 [Press release "Franz Xaver Messerschmidt"](https://www.belvedere.at/sites/default/files/2025-10/Pressemappe%20Messerschmidt_EN_0.pdf) ![Franz Xaver Messerschmidt, Sogenanntes Selbstbildnis lachend, um 1777–83 (blauer Hintergrund) — Franz Xaver Messerschmidt, „Self-Portrait, Laughing“, c. 1777–83 — Szépművészeti Múzeum / Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest, 2025](https://www.belvedere.at/sites/default/files/2025-10/Messerschmidt_A4.jpg) ## Press Images ![Image](https://www.belvedere.at/sites/default/files/2025-10/UB%20Messerschmidt%202025-34%20Presse.jpg) Exhibition view "Franz Xaver Messerschmidt. More Than Character Heads", Lower Belvedere Photo: Johannes Stoll / Belvedere, Vienna ![Image](https://www.belvedere.at/sites/default/files/2025-10/UB%20Messerschmidt%202025-23%20Presse.jpg) Exhibition view "Franz Xaver Messerschmidt. More Than Character Heads", Lower Belvedere Photo: Johannes Stoll / Belvedere, Vienna ![Image](https://www.belvedere.at/sites/default/files/2025-10/UB%20Messerschmidt%202025-12%20Presse.jpg) Exhibition view "Franz Xaver Messerschmidt. More Than Character Heads", Lower Belvedere Photo: Johannes Stoll / Belvedere, Vienna ![Image](https://www.belvedere.at/sites/default/files/2025-10/UB%20Messerschmidt%202025-22%20Presse.jpg) Exhibition view "Franz Xaver Messerschmidt. More Than Character Heads", Lower Belvedere Photo: Johannes Stoll / Belvedere, Vienna ![Image](https://www.belvedere.at/sites/default/files/2025-10/UB%20Messerschmidt%202025-04%20Presse.jpg) Exhibition view "Franz Xaver Messerschmidt. More Than Character Heads", Lower Belvedere Photo: Johannes Stoll / Belvedere, Vienna ![Image](https://www.belvedere.at/sites/default/files/2025-10/UB%20Messerschmidt%202025-15%20Presse.jpg) Exhibition view "Franz Xaver Messerschmidt. More Than Character Heads", Lower Belvedere Photo: Johannes Stoll / Belvedere, Vienna ![Image](https://www.belvedere.at/sites/default/files/2025-10/UB%20Messerschmidt%202025-09%20Presse.jpg) Exhibition view "Franz Xaver Messerschmidt. More Than Character Heads", Lower Belvedere Photo: Johannes Stoll / Belvedere, Vienna ![Image](https://www.belvedere.at/sites/default/files/2025-10/UB%20Messerschmidt%202025-17%20Presse.jpg) Exhibition view "Franz Xaver Messerschmidt. More Than Character Heads", Lower Belvedere Photo: Johannes Stoll / Belvedere, Vienna ![Image](https://www.belvedere.at/sites/default/files/2025-10/UB%20Messerschmidt%202025-24%20Presse.jpg) Exhibition view "Franz Xaver Messerschmidt. More Than Character Heads", Lower Belvedere Photo: Johannes Stoll / Belvedere, Vienna ![Image](https://www.belvedere.at/sites/default/files/2025-10/UB%20Messerschmidt%202025-13A.jpg) Exhibition view "Franz Xaver Messerschmidt. More Than Character Heads", Lower Belvedere Photo: Johannes Stoll / Belvedere, Vienna ![Image](https://www.belvedere.at/sites/default/files/2025-10/UB%20Messerschmidt%202025-35.jpg) Exhibition view "Franz Xaver Messerschmidt. More Than Character Heads", Lower Belvedere Photo: Johannes Stoll / Belvedere, Vienna ![Image](https://www.belvedere.at/sites/default/files/2025-10/UB%20Messerschmidt%202025-37.jpg) Exhibition view "Franz Xaver Messerschmidt. More Than Character Heads", Lower Belvedere Photo: Johannes Stoll / Belvedere, Vienna ![Image](https://www.belvedere.at/sites/default/files/2025-10/UB%20Messerschmidt%202025-07A%20Presse.jpg) Exhibition view "Franz Xaver Messerschmidt. More Than Character Heads", Lower Belvedere Photo: Johannes Stoll / Belvedere, Vienna ![Image](https://www.belvedere.at/sites/default/files/2025-10/UB%20Messerschmidt%202025-06%20Presse.jpg) Exhibition view "Franz Xaver Messerschmidt. More Than Character Heads", Lower Belvedere Photo: Johannes Stoll / Belvedere, Vienna ![Image](https://www.belvedere.at/sites/default/files/2025-10/UB%20Messerschmidt%202025-01%20Presse.jpg) Exhibition view "Franz Xaver Messerschmidt. More Than Character Heads", Lower Belvedere Photo: Johannes Stoll / Belvedere, Vienna ![Image](https://www.belvedere.at/sites/default/files/2025-10/UB%20Messerschmidt%202025-13B.jpg) Exhibition view "Franz Xaver Messerschmidt. More Than Character Heads", Lower Belvedere Photo: Johannes Stoll / Belvedere, Vienna ![Image](https://www.belvedere.at/sites/default/files/2025-10/UB%20Messerschmidt%202025-30.jpg) Exhibition view "Franz Xaver Messerschmidt. More Than Character Heads", Lower Belvedere Photo: Johannes Stoll / Belvedere, Vienna ![Image](https://www.belvedere.at/sites/default/files/2025-10/UB%20Messerschmidt%202025-36.jpg) Exhibition view "Franz Xaver Messerschmidt. More Than Character Heads", Lower Belvedere Photo: Johannes Stoll / Belvedere, Vienna ![Image](https://www.belvedere.at/sites/default/files/2025-10/Franz%20Xaver%20Messerschmidt_Sogenanntes%20Selbstbildnis%20lachend_um%201777%E2%80%9383.jpg) Franz Xaver Messerschmidt, „Self-Portrait, Laughing“, c. 1777–83 Szépművészeti Múzeum / Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest, 2025 ![Image](https://www.belvedere.at/sites/default/files/2024-08/%E2%80%9ECharakterkopf%E2%80%9C%20Nr.%2025%2C%201771_83_Hochformat_0.JPG) Franz Xaver Messerschmidt, „Character Head“ No. 25, 1771/83 Photo: Johannes Stoll / Belvedere, Vienna ![Image](https://www.belvedere.at/sites/default/files/2024-08/%E2%80%9ECharakterkopf%E2%80%9C%20Nr.%2048%2C%201777_83_2286_Hochformat.JPG) Franz Xaver Messerschmidt, „Character Head“ No. 48, 1777/83 Photo: Johannes Stoll / Belvedere, Vienna ![Image](https://www.belvedere.at/sites/default/files/2025-09/Franz%20Xaver%20Messerschmidt_%E2%80%9ECharakterkopf%E2%80%9C%20Nr.%2027_um%201777%E2%80%9383_Belvedere%20Wien.jpg) Franz Xaver Messerschmidt, „Character Head“ No. 27, c. 1777–83 Belvedere, Vienna, photo: Johannes Stoll / Belvedere, Vienna ![Image](https://www.belvedere.at/sites/default/files/2024-08/Franz%20Anton%20Mesmer_1770_Lg1150_Quadrat_0.JPG) Franz Xaver Messerschmidt, Franz Anton Mesmer, 1770 Belvedere, Vienna, on permanent loan from private collection Photo: Johannes Stoll / Belvedere, Vienna ![Image](https://www.belvedere.at/sites/default/files/2024-08/Gerard%20Van%20Swieten_1769_Lg18_Quadrat_0.JPG) Franz Xaver Messerschmidt, Gerard Van Swieten, 1769 Belvedere, Vienna, On loan from the University of Vienna Photo: Johannes Stoll / Belvedere, Vienna ![Image](https://www.belvedere.at/sites/default/files/2025-09/Franz%20Xaver%20Messerschmidt_Allegorie%20der%20Religion%2C%20um%201775%E2%80%9377_Bayerisches%20Nationalmuseum_M%C3%BCnchen.jpg) Franz Xaver Messerschmidt, Allegory of Religion, c. 1775–77 Bayerisches Nationalmuseum, Munich ![Image](https://www.belvedere.at/sites/default/files/2025-09/Joseph%20Ducreux_Selbstbildnis_genannt%20%E2%80%9ELa%20surprise%E2%80%9C_um%201790%E2%80%931800_Nationalmuseum%20Stockholm.jpg) Joseph Ducreux, Self-Portrait, called „La surprise“ (Surprise), c. 1790–1800 Nationalmuseum, Stockholm, photo: Anna Danielsson / Nationalmuseum, Stockholm ![Image](https://www.belvedere.at/sites/default/files/2025-09/Jakob%20Matthias%20Schmutzer_Portr%C3%A4tstudie%20eines%20nach%20oben%20blickenden%20Mannes_1774.jpg) Jakob Matthias Schmutzer, Portrait Study of a Man Gazing Upward, 1774 Graphic Collection of the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna ![Image](https://www.belvedere.at/sites/default/files/2025-09/Franz%20Xaver%20Messerschmidt_B%C3%A4rtiger%20alter%20Mann_um%201772%E2%80%9374.jpg) Franz Xaver Messerschmidt, Bearded Old Man, c. 1772–74 Liebieghaus Skulpturensammlung, Frankfurt am Main ![Image](https://www.belvedere.at/sites/default/files/2025-09/Franz%20Xaver%20Messerschmidt_Kaiser%20Franz%20I.%20Stephan%20von%20Lothringen_1766.jpg) Franz Xaver Messerschmidt, Kaiser Franz I. Stephan von Lothringen, 1766 Belvedere, Vienna, photo: Belvedere, Vienna ![Image](https://www.belvedere.at/sites/default/files/2025-09/Franz%20Xaver%20Messerschmidt_Maria%20Theresia%20als%20K%C3%B6nigin%20von%20Ungarn_1764%E2%80%9366.jpg) Franz Xaver Messerschmidt, Maria Theresa as Queen of Hungary, 1764–66 Belvedere, Vienna, photo: Belvedere, Vienna ![Image](https://www.belvedere.at/sites/default/files/2025-10/Tab26_8336_Alternative1.jpeg) Franz Xaver Messerschmidt, Martin Georg Kovachich, 1782 Szépművészeti Múzeum / Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest The texts, images, and documents provided here are copyrighted and are made available exclusively for the purpose of reporting on the exhibitions mentioned. Please contact the press team in regards to image credits and copyrights. For any additional use or distribution, please obtain approval in writing from the press team. For more information and press images please contact: #### Media Relations ##### Petra Fuchs T: [+43 1 795 57-177](tel:+43179557-177) M: [+43 664 800 141-177](tel:+43664800141-177) E-Mail: [**p.fuchs@belvedere.at**](mailto:p.fuchs@belvedere.at) ## Related exposition [**Franz Xaver Messerschmidt**](https://www.belvedere.at/en/messerschmidt) — More Than Character Heads — 30 October 2025 - 6 April 2026 — Exhibition — Lower Belvedere