Hidden Treasure. A Century of Mystery
Sep 4, 2026 - Dec 31, 2026
Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec Québec, Québec
Photo credit:
Unknown European jeweller...
We are proud to display prestigious jewels associated with the Habsburg family for the first time, revealing a story with a strong Québec connection.
The collection, long kept out of the public eye, is now on display. Its 15 jewels, including the legendary 137-carat Florentine Diamond, tell a story of exile, legacy, and resilience that forms an unexpected bridge between Europe and Québec.
While the brilliance, elegance, and historical significance of these jewels make them worthy of display in their own right, they are being featured at the Musée because they are part of a story with close ties to Québec: that of Zita of Bourbon-Parma, the last Empress of Austria and Queen of Hungary, who found refuge in the city of Québec in October 1940.
After the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the end of World War I, Emperor Charles and Empress Zita went into exile.
As the Second World War raged, changing Europe’s fate once again, Zita fled the Nazi troops and sought refuge in the city of Québec, at the Villa Saint-Joseph in Sillery. There, the family formed lasting ties that would help anchor this story in Québec’s collective memory: the empress had been travelling with a set of jewels that would remain hidden in Québec for decades.
While the brilliance, elegance, and historical significance of these jewels make them worthy of display in their own right, they are being featured at the Musée because they are part of a story with close ties to Québec: that of Zita of Bourbon-Parma, the last Empress of Austria and Queen of Hungary, who found refuge in the city of Québec in October 1940.
After the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the end of World War I, Emperor Charles and Empress Zita went into exile.
As the Second World War raged, changing Europe’s fate once again, Zita fled the Nazi troops and sought refuge in the city of Québec, at the Villa Saint-Joseph in Sillery. There, the family formed lasting ties that would help anchor this story in Québec’s collective memory: the empress had been travelling with a set of jewels that would remain hidden in Québec for decades.
