At the invitation of gendup – the Center for Gender Studies and Women at the University of Salzburg – Irene Andessner has produced a photographic role portrait of Maria Andessner (*1833 †1906). Quite unusually for her time, this woman undertook extensive travels in all five continents from her residence in Salzburg. Her letters formed the basis of travel articles in the "Salzburger Zeitung". Photos of her have unfortunately not survived, and so the Salzburg-born Irene Andessner has focused on historical photographs from family albums in the region of Mary Andessner’s Upper Austrian birthplace, Eberschwang. The father of Irene Andessner (in passports: Irene Maria Andessner) also came from Eberschwang, and in conversations with her relatives she discovered that she is Mary Andessner’s great-great-great-grand-daughter.

The role portrait was presented to the public on 4 April 2011 as a new visual mission statement of the annual "Marie Andessner scholarships”, awarded by the Paris-Lodron University of Salzburg. As a contemporary interpretation of a historical role model, analogous to the encouragement of young scientists, it provides a bridge to the present with hope for the future.

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