Roman emperor Joseph II was called an “enlightened despot” who aggressively pushed for reforms in the 1700s. Issuing more than 6,000 edicts and approximately 11,000 new laws to reorganize his empire, some of his biggest changes were abolishing serfdom and reforming the Church, which then held extreme power. He aimed for a more secular governance that was tolerant of different religions. He also made marriage a civil contract, improved access to secondary schools for all, and relaxed censorship. 

He was an autocrat and was known to be heavy-handed when it came to policies, but he would later on be seen as a proponent of the Austrian Enlightenment movement. Similar to his contemporaries, he became a patron of the arts and was known to support the great musicians Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Antonio Salieri. He was credited for transforming the Theater nächst der Burg into the German National Theater (now called “Burgtheater”), making it the empire’s premier stage during his rule. 


In remembrance of his support of Viennese classical music, Montblanc released the Patron of Art Homage to Joseph II fountain pen in 2012. It features swaths of deep red and white, recalling the flag of Austria. The patterns are inspired by the imperial coat of arms, which are matched with champagne gold-plated trims. The emperor’s escudo itself is engraved on the 18-karat champagne gold nib. 


We have for sale a used Montblanc Patron of Art Homage to Joseph II fountain pen with a B nib. It comes complete with its box but no papers. 


Length capped: 14.5 cm.