Masterpieces New Pinakothek review of paintings. Panorama of the New Pinakothek

The Neue Pinakothek is a fine art museum in Munich, the capital of Bavaria, in southern Germany. The museum contains works of European art from the late 18th to early 20th centuries.

The New Pinakothek was conceived by King Ludwig I of Bavaria as a complement to the Alte Pinakothek. Works of modern art were to be placed here. The New Pinakothek opened in 1853, so it is clear that “modern art” was then called the art of the 18th - 19th centuries.

Ludwig I was not only a passionate collector, he actively supported art in his kingdom. During his reign, Munich became one of the world's art centers. Several art schools and an art academy operated here. Talented domestic artists received scholarships and royal orders. The traditions of wall paintings were revived.

Including, the Neue Pinakothek was supposed to become an exhibition platform for the artists of the Munich School. The New Pinakothek is located in a building located directly opposite the Alte Pinakothek.

>The Neue Pinakothek became the first museum in the world dedicated to modern art.

The museum's exhibition focused on German art. The first building of the Neue Pinakothek was destroyed by American-British bombing during the Second World War, and it was decided not to rebuild it. In a competition announced in 1967 for the design of a new museum building, architect Alexander Freiherr won.

In 1975, the first stone of a new house for the Neue Pinakothek was laid, and construction was completed only in 1981. The public received the new building made of glass and concrete ambiguously, but they waited too long for the completion of construction, and the critics fell silent.

Today, the Neue Pinakothek houses more than 3,000 paintings and 300 sculptures.

D22 halls and 10 rooms of the museum constantly display 400 exhibits under the general motto: “From Goya to Picasso.”

Paintings in the Neues Pinakothek Munich

During the life of Ludwig I, the rule of the modern national collection of the Neue Pinakothek was strictly observed. Then some of the works of the late 18th century by Spanish and English artists were transferred from the Alte Pinakothek. At the turn of the 20th century, it became inevitable that the influence of impressionism would penetrate into the classical German school of painting, and finally, with the arrival of a new director, Hugo von Schudi, in 1908, it became acceptable for the museum to acquire works by French impressionists.

International art of the second half of the 18th century

Among the masterpieces of the Neue Pinakothek, it is worth mentioning 5 classic works by Francisco de Goya. The painting of the singer of the French Revolution, Jean Louis David, “Portrait of Anna Maria Louise Thélusson de Sorsy,” is revolutionary in its choice, or rather in its rejection of the ceremonial costumes of the nobility and the lush backgrounds of the portraits.

English painting of the late 18th - early 19th centuries

Among the works presented at the Neue Pinakothek, the most notable are the “Portrait of Mrs. Thomas Hibbert” by Thomas Gainsborough and the landscape by William Turner, the forerunner of the Impressionists.

German representatives of classicism and romanticism

The collection of the New Pinakothek widely includes works by classics - Jacob Philipp Hackert, Joseph Anton Koch, Peter von Cornelius, Friedrich Overbeck and other artists who lived in Rome and Nazareth at the monasteries, and in their work sought to return to the origins of Renaissance painting.

The Romantics chose landscape and pastoral painting as the basis of their creativity. One of the brightest representatives of the style is Caspar David Friedrich. Several of his paintings are exhibited at the Neue Pinakothek.

French realism and romanticism

An interesting palette of French schools of realism and romance is represented in the museum by the works of Theodore Gericault, Eugene Delacroix, Jean Francois Millet, Honoré Daumier and others.

Historical and genre painting

German and Austrian artists Wilhelm von Kaulbach, Karl Theodor von Piloty, Franz von Defregger, Hans Makart immortalized everyday scenes of everyday life and historical events in their works.

German impressionists

The most prominent representative of German impressionism is the Berlin artist Max Liebermann. Inspired by the ideas of impressionism, he went to Paris and Barbizon for several years, then became interested in the Hague school of light colors in painting. Lieberman's style emerged from a mixture of these trends. In the Neue Pinakothek you can get acquainted with several works by Liebermann - from early to works of a mature author.

Lovis Corinth and Max Slevogt are the most popular German impressionists after Liebermann. Several of their works from different periods are presented in the Neue Pinakothek.

French impressionists

The names of Vincent van Gogh, Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Paul Gauguin, Edouard Manet, Paul Cezanne, Edgar Degas, Alfred Sisley do not need introduction. Their works can be seen in four halls of the Neue Pinakothek.

It is difficult to imagine that Impressionist paintings, which today are the pride of any museum and cost fabulous amounts of money, were perceived as undesirable at the beginning of the 20th century. Only thanks to the enormous efforts of the then general director of the Neue Pinakothek, 44 paintings and 22 drawings by these masters were accepted as a gift from collectors. The self-portrait of Vincent van Gogh was personally purchased by the director of the museum from the artist's widow in 1919. Unfortunately, in 1938, the Nazis who came to power classified the portrait as “degenerate” art, and it was expelled from the museum.

Symbolism and Art Nouveau

One of the most eye-catching works by Franz von Stuck, Sin, depicts a partially naked woman with a huge snake on her shoulder. Franz von Stuck, teacher of Kazimir Malevich and Gustav Klimt, founder of the Munich “Secession”, an association of artists who did not agree with conservative classical art, opened up new ideas and directions, including modernism, with his works full of symbolism.

The pride of the museum is the works of Gustav Klimt, the brightest representative of the style - “Music” and “Portrait of Margaret Stonborough - Wittgenstein”. In addition, the museum has works by Egon Schiele, Thomas Brown, Francois Carabine.

Works by masters of symbolism, modernism and other modern art movements created in the 20th century are presented in the exhibition of the Pinakothek of Modernity.

Sculptural collection

The Neue Pinakothek presents sculptural works by Bertel Thorvaldsen, Antonio Canova, Rudolf Shadov, Auguste Rodin, Max Klinger, Aristide Maillol, Pablo Picasso.

Operating mode

All Pinakotheks in Munich are open 6 days a week, with days off on different days. The New Pinakothek's day off is Tuesday.

Wednesday - from 10.00. until 20.00.
Thursday - Monday - from 10.00. until 18.00.
Tuesday - the museum is closed.

Special operating hours of the museum:

On Faschingsdienstag, Carnival Tuesday (Faschingsdienstag) - the last Tuesday of Lent according to the Catholic calendar, May 1, December 24 and 25 and January 1 - the museum is closed.
On other holidays the museum operates as usual.

Important information: The New Pinakothek will close for renovation on January 1, 2019. Some of the exhibits will be housed in the Alte Pinakothek from June 2019.

Ticket price

The Neue Pinakothek has several ticket options.

Basic ticket to the Neue Pinakothek:

Adult – 7 euros,
preferential - 5 euros,
on Sunday - 1 euro,
children under 18 years old are free.

Combined tickets:

ticket to five museums for 1 day (Alte Pinakothek, New Pinakothek, Modern Pinakothek, Brandhorst Museum and Schack Collection) - 12 euros,
ticket to five museums for two days with any day of visits (Alte Pinakothek, New Pinakothek, Modern Pinakothek, Brandhorst Museum and Schack Collection) - 29 euros.

Please note: Every Sunday a ticket to the Neue Pinakothek costs only 1 euro. The offer does not include temporary exhibitions and an audio guide.

The following are entitled to purchase a preferential ticket at a discount:

persons over 65 years old upon presentation of a passport,
students upon presentation of an international student card,
students attending language courses at the Goethe Institute upon presentation of their student ID,
groups of 15 people.

How to get to the Neue Pinakothek

By public transport

The New Pinakothek is located in the central part of the city and can be easily reached by any type of public transport.

By tram: routes 27, 28 - to the Pinakothek stop.
By U-Bahn: line U2 to stop Königsplatz or Theresienstraße, line U3 or U6 to stop Odeonsplatz or University, line U4 or U5 to stop Odeonsplatz ). The closest stop to the Neue Pinakothek is the U2 Theresienstrasse stop.
By bus: line 100 Museumslinie or line 58 (CityRing) to the Pinakothek stop.

By car

If you come by car, be prepared that the nearest parking lot is at least one kilometer away.

Parking in the area of the New Pinakothek

Tiefgarage in der Amalienpassage - An underground garage in the Amalien Passage shopping center, designed for 250 places, open 24 hours a day. Address: Türkenstraße 84.

every half hour - 1.50 euros,
the maximum daily rate is 24.00 euros.

Salvator Garage - Surface parking with 365 spaces. Address: Salvatorplatz 1.

1 hour - 3.00 euros,
2 hours - 6.00 euros,
3 hours - 9.00 euros,
4 hours - 12.00 euros,
5 hours - 15.00 euros,
6 hours - 18.00 euros,
24 hours - 20.00 euros.

By taxi

The Neue Pinakothek is easily accessible by Uber or Münchrn Taxi-

Video about the New Pinakothek

Publication date: 2013-09-16

New Pinakothek(German: Neue Pinakothek) - an art gallery with works by artists of the 19th-20th centuries. In 22 halls and 10 offices, more than 550 paintings and 50 sculptures of different styles are presented, from Rococo to German Art Nouveau. Another 3,000 paintings and 300 sculptures are stored in the storerooms.

History of the creation of the New Pinakothek

The New Pinakothek was founded in 1853 by the Bavarian king Ludwig I, who dreamed of introducing ordinary people and townspeople to high art. Let us recall that by this time the Bavarian ruler had already successfully achieved the first part of his goal by opening the Alte Pinakothek in 1836. The unusual name “Pinakothek” was borrowed from the ancient Greeks, who used this term to designate a room where objects with picturesque images or paintings were stored.

The Second World War prepared a severe test for the landmark - the building that housed the works of art was completely destroyed and could not be restored. Construction of the new building dragged on for three decades and was completed only in 1981. The unusual modern building with bay windows and semi-circular arched windows caused mixed opinions and public controversy, but its magnificent halls with overhead lighting received universal approval.

Selected paintings from the Neue Pinakothek

"Vase of Sunflowers", Vincent Van Gogh, 1888

Vincent Van Gogh wrote about himself: “I feel the need to become different, to start over and apologize for the fact that my paintings almost sound like a cry of despair, although my rural sunflowers may sound like gratitude.” Sunflower - “child of the sun.” This flower is a symbol of optimism and creative people. Perhaps that is why the master wanted to “apologize and thank” in this very way, giving the viewer a piece of solar energy.

For the artist, the sunflower was some kind of symbol, some kind of talisman. In a letter to his brother, he wrote: “The sunflower, in a sense, is mine.” Therefore, since 1987, sunflowers have filled 11 canvases by Vincent Van Gogh.

It is clear that when painting the picture, the artist was overwhelmed with emotions. Oil paints are applied to the canvas very thickly, in abrupt strokes. It feels like every stroke is bitterness and happiness. When you look at flowers, it seems that you can touch a sunflower, touch it, feel its shape.

It was very important for Vincent van Gogh to convey the entire palette of sunflower petals. The painting reflects both fading sunflowers and very fresh flowers. This is how the author conveys solar energy in his favorite color, yellow. The core of the flower is filled with magic. The sky blue background creates incredible tenderness and conveys the energy of the blue sky. The picture evokes an amazing feeling of morning lightness, scorching heat of the sun and the inevitable withering of the flower, which gave all its positive energy to the viewer.

The peculiarity of Vincent Van Gogh was the vision of the soul where it could not be. He saw the soul in the trees; obviously, the soul of the sunflower was in tune with him. “Gauguin really liked my sunflowers when he took a good look at them” (Vincent Van Gogh).

"The Poor Poet", Carl Spitzweg, 1839

The picture of the Neue Pinakothek will not leave anyone indifferent, because it evokes an involuntary smile from the setting and the bizarre appearance of the main character. A touching and lonely poet who is so carried away by the process of creating a new work that he does not notice all the chaos around him.

There is no order at all in the small room. Sunlight is trying to penetrate through the dirty window, a clothesline is hanging carelessly, there is a basin and an empty bottle on the stove, and a shoe is lying somewhere. Local newspapers have found no better use, so they will soon suffer the fate of being burned in the oven. Near the poet there are books, boxes and other things that create an atmosphere of chaos. The poet himself sat comfortably on the mattress. A thin blanket, two pillows and a nightcap - this is the creative place of the main character. A broken umbrella hovers near the ceiling, but the poet is not at all embarrassed by this whole situation. He is happy and lives in the process, but order... let order wait.

“After the Stormy Night”, Johan Christian Clausen Dahl, 1819

As the painter himself admitted, the painting “After a Stormy Night” is his best creation, although it took only 8 days to create the masterpiece. Johan Dahl turned out to be a real fighter, since at first his creation was subjected to very harsh criticism among his contemporaries, which he withstood without losing faith. He believed that the viewer would appreciate and fully understand the beauty and intent in the future.

It is very difficult to pass by this picture. The view is captured by the plot, and the tragic events of the past night are recreated in the viewer’s soul. Everything here is saturated with ruin, but at the same time there is a sense of rebirth. The amazing sky combines shades of night and grief in the form of clouds, as well as the light of rebirth, as hope for something good. The sea frightens with its darkness, but at the same time the foam near the shore seems to sympathize with the hero, giving hope. Rocks are the hero's comfort and strength. The small dog symbolizes the heartache of loss.

"Melodrama", Honoré Daumier, 1860

The painting of the Neue Pinakothek is imbued with emotionality and the play of the theater. You want to constantly watch the audience watching the stage; you want to be among this crowd in order to feel the energy of the hall, to live the entire performance from beginning to end.

All the time I can’t shake the feeling that the continuation of the performance is about to begin. This feeling simultaneously holds and forces you to look for a continuation. The picture comes to life in the heart, captivates with the action and performance of the actors. The actors are faceless, but the atmosphere of their inner state is incredibly accurately conveyed.

Don Quixote, Honoré Daumier, 1868

The picture combines joy and pessimism at the same time. At first glance, she seems bright and optimistic. The brightest sky looks like a clear “sea of hopes,” and only the desert and the stone grandeur of the road going up bring a tragic note of despair. In the painting “Don Quixote” it was not for nothing that the desert landscape was chosen as the main symbol of loneliness.

The main character is depicted as faceless. His unique character, the desire to move forward, the desperate zeal for new victories are reflected in energetic and broad strokes. The artist masterfully conveyed the character of Don Quixote in three colors. A tired horse, with his head bowed, faithfully serves his master, and takes step by step towards new challenges.

“Still Life with Apples”, Gustave Courbet, 1871

The picture is filled with pessimism. The gloomy sky and the sprawling tree make the viewer sad, and only a bright spot in the picture inspires hope that it (the sadness) will pass and a bright sunny day will come.

The use of rich, vibrant colors to capture the beauty of the apples is mesmerizing. It seems that an ordinary object - an apple - opens up a whole world. The viewer forgets about the gloomy background, his whole gaze is directed to the juicy red apples. A little later, several pomegranates lying to the side and a ripe pear become noticeable in the picture, but for now the eye is captivated by the beauty of the form and the tints of the apple composition.

"Landscape on the Main", Hans Thoma, 1875

A distinctive feature of Hans Thom is the painting of realistic, “folk”, “simple” landscapes. This feeling develops only in the first few seconds, after which the “inner” world of the picture opens, which Hans Thoma wanted to show and convey to the viewer’s soul.

The artist incredibly accurately depicted the blessing of the sky and the beauty of the sun's rays with the airy weightlessness of the clouds. The canvas evokes a feeling of calm, harmony, the absence of the usual bustle of life and simply enjoying the beautiful landscape and sunny day. Upon closer examination, the viewer is filled with a special divine light, which the author amazingly managed to convey.

"Kindergarten", Johan Sperl, 1884

The picture is imbued with the atmosphere of celebration and childhood. The overall harmony is amazing. Johan Sperl amazingly captured the beauty of a warm spring day. There is not a single sad child on the canvas, everyone is busy with their own business: someone is picking flowers, someone is helping teachers, someone is hiding behind a tree. The wonderful time of childhood can be seen even in bright children's clothing. Teachers with maternal care do housework. What makes the picture touching is the duck with its little ducklings who are out for a walk.

The New Pinakothek was founded by Ludwig of Bavaria. He decided to open his private collection to the people. In 1848, the king initiated the construction of the building - it was decided to build it opposite the Alte Pinakothek. The Neue Pinakothek gallery opened in 1853 in Munich.

The New Pinakothek was founded by the “moon king” - a romantic ruler Ludwig of Bavaria. He decided to open his private collection to the people. In 1848, the king initiated the construction of the building - it was decided to build it opposite the Alte Pinakothek. The project was made by August Voith And Friedrich Gertner.

The gallery opened in 1853 in Munich.

At that time it was the first collection of modern painting. The exhibition featured works by Munich painters and German romantic artists. Unlike the meeting Old Pinakothek, sculptures were also exhibited here. The art in the gallery was covered rather one-sidedly. Even after the death of the king, the collection continued to grow, but the directions did not change.

Since 1915, the museum began to belong to the state. Changed the situation in the gallery Hugo von Tschudi- Director of the State Collection of Paintings of Munich. At the beginning of the 20th century, French painting had no authority in the art world and was poorly covered by criticism. Tschudi decided to popularize French art and acquired a large collection of paintings for the museum. impressionists.

The Bavarian public saw the paintings Manet and Monet, Toulouse-Lautrec, Van Gogh. Unfortunately, Van Gogh's Self-Portrait was subsequently lost to the gallery - it was sold in 1938. The famous painting “Sunflowers” has been preserved and can still be seen today in the Pinakothek.

The New Pinakothek now occupies a different building than was intended for it by King Ludwig. During World War II, the gallery was completely destroyed. The building had to be demolished, and the exhibition was moved to the Art House on Prinzregentenstraße.

It was not until March 1981 that the Neue Pinakothek was reopened as a separate museum. The construction of this building was led by the architect Alexander von Branchi— he tried to ensure that the form of the building corresponded to the content. The postmodern appearance of the gallery was received ambiguously by the public, but the new museum quickly won the sympathy of visitors thanks to its spacious halls and well-organized lighting.

The exhibition of the Neue Pinakothek serves as an intermediate link between the collection of antique paintings of the Alte Pinakothek and the collection of art nouveau from the Pinakothek of Modernity (now located in the House of Art). It covers the period of the late 18th – early 20th centuries: from Jacques Louis David and Goya- before Paul Cezanne, Edgar Degas and Claude Monet.

In total, the museum's collections contain about 4.5 thousand paintings and 300 sculptural works (sculptures are collected here Thorvaldsen, Canova, Auguste Rodin). 400 works, divided by direction and chronology, are presented to the public in 33 halls.

Barer Straße 29 80799 München, Germany
pinakothek.de‎
Take tram 27, 28, No. 27 to the Pinakotheken stop

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Old Pinakothek

Tuesday – from 10:00 to 20:00

The New Pinakothek will be closed to the public due to construction work and the preparation of comprehensive reconstruction measures - approximately until 2025. An exhibition of selected masterpieces of 19th-century art will be open from summer 2019 on the ground floor of the Alte Pinakothek (East Wing) and in the Shaka Gallery.

Pinakothek of Modernity
Every day except Monday – from 10:00 to 18:00
Thursday – from 10:00 to 20:00

Brandhorst Museum
Every day except Monday – from 10:00 to 18:00
Thursday – from 10:00 to 20:00

Shaka Gallery
Wednesday-Sunday – from 10:00 to 18:00
Every first and third Wednesday of the month - until 20:00

Opening hours on holidays
New Year's Day (January 1): all museums are open to the public
Epiphany/Three Kings (January 6): all museums are open to the public
Carnival Tuesday: all museums are closed to the public
Good Friday: all museums are open to the public
Easter Sunday: all museums are open to the public
Bright Monday: all museums are open to the public
Labor Day (May 1): all museums are closed to the public
Ascension of the Lord: all museums are open to the public
Trinity: all museums are open to the public
Holy Spirit Day: all museums are open to the public
Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ: all museums except the Shaka Gallery are open to the public
Assumption of the Virgin Mary (August 15): New Pinakothek is open, all other museums are closed to the public
German Unity Day (October 3): all museums are open to the public
Feast of All Saints (November 1): all museums except the Neue Pinakothek and the Shaka Gallery are open to the public
Christmas Eve (December 24): all museums are closed to the public
1st Day of Christmas (December 25): all museums are closed to the public
2nd Day of the Nativity of Christ (December 26): all museums are open to the public
December 31: all museums are closed to the public

Current information: closure of the Neue Pinakothek

Dear visitors!

December 31, 2018 The Neue Pinakothek gallery will be closed to the public due to construction work and preparations for comprehensive reconstruction measures. An exhibition of selected masterpieces of 19th-century art will be open from summer 2019 on the ground floor of the Alte Pinakothek (East Wing) and in the Shaka Gallery.

Please note these changes when planning a visit to the Art Area and the Pinakothek. From October this year, detailed information about the exhibition will be available on our website.

TICKET PRICES

Old Pinakothek
Reduced prices for entrance tickets during the modernization of the lighting system in 2014-2018.
Permanent exhibition
4 euros | preferential price 2 euros
On Sundays – 1 euro

Pinakothek of Modernity

On Sundays – 1 euro

Brandhorst Museum
Exhibition “Painting 2.0: fine art in the era of information technology” until April 30, 2016.
10 euro | preferential price 7 euros

Please note: the Brandhorst Museum does not offer reduced prices for entrance tickets on Sundays until April 30, 2016; In addition, during this period the Brandhorst Museum is not covered by the single admission ticket or the five-entry ticket.

Shaka Gallery
4 euros | preferential price 3 euros
On Sundays – 1 euro
Separate admission prices for special exhibitions.

Single entrance ticket – 12 euros (Pinakothek, Brandhorst Museum, Schack Gallery)
Entrance ticket for five visits – 29 euros (Pinakothek, Brandhorst Museum, Schack Gallery)
Does not provide entry to special exhibitions.

The following categories of citizens have the right to visit museums free of charge: children and persons under 18 years of age; students of the faculties of art, art history, art history, as well as theory and methods of teaching art; school classes, preschool children, after-school groups and youth groups from EU member states (accompanied by teachers or educators).

Admission is free or at a reduced price

Additional information is here (PDF).

DIRECTIONS

Pinakothek and Brandhorst Museum:

Tram
No. 27: stop Pinakotheken

Metro
U2: Königsplatz or Theresienstraße station
U3 | U6: Odeonsplatz or Universität station
U4 | U5: Odeonsplatz station

Bus
No. 154: Schellingstraße stop, No. 100 (museum route): Pinakotheken stop, No. 100 (museum route): Maxvorstadt/Sammlung Brandhorst stop

Excursion bus
In front of the Neue Pinakothek there are two parking lots for sightseeing buses. Between 10.00 and 20.00, parking time (with parking disc) is limited to two hours.

GalleryShaka:

Bus
No. 100 (museum route): stop Reitmorstraße / Schack Galerie

Tram
No. 17: Nationalmuseum stop
We recommend using public transport, as there is no parking in the immediate vicinity of the museums.

OLD PINACOTHECA

The Alte Pinakothek introduces the main milestones of European painting: the development of artistic art from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance to the Baroque and the end of the Rococo period is most fully represented here. The permanent exhibition includes more than 700 paintings; it is a real treasury of German, Flemish, Dutch, French, Italian and Spanish painting. The museum building, the work of architect Leo von Klenze, was built in 1836 in classical style and has become a standard European museum, offering a worthy setting for the paintings that make up the golden fund of Western art.

Albrecht Durer (1471-1528)
“Self-portrait in clothes trimmed with fur” (1500)
Tree (linden – Tilia sp.), 67.1 x 48.9 cm
The portrait was acquired in 1805 by the Central Directorate of the Art Gallery
Inv. No. 537

OUR MASTERPIECES OLD PINACOTHECA

This painting by the 28-year-old artist is perhaps the most unusual creation in the history of portrait art. The full-face turn and the high degree of perfection of the image are reminiscent of images of Christ, however, both aspects should be considered in the context of Dürer's studies of human proportions begun at this time. The emphasis is on the expressive look and hand of the human creator, the artist’s tool with which the portrait is painted, which allows us to see in this work the artist’s programmatic work. This idea is emphasized by the inscription in Latin, which allows for different interpretations: “This is how I, Albrecht Dürer from Nuremberg, created myself with characteristic colors at the age of 28.”

NEW PINACOTHECA

“From Goya to Picasso” is the motto of the Neue Pinakothek, founded by King Ludwig I in the mid-19th century. The first museum in Europe open to the general public, it was also the first museum of modern art - in the words of the Bavarian monarch, “a collection of paintings of the present and future centuries.” Iconic works of classicism, romanticism, art nouveau and impressionism, the Nazarenes and the German Romans are presented here along with famous paintings of the Art Nouveau era. During World War II, the Neue Pinakothek building was destroyed; the new building (designed by architect Alexander von Branchi) opened its doors in 1981.

Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890)
"Sunflowers" (1888)
Canvas, oil. 92.0 x 73.0 cm
The painting was acquired in 1912
from an anonymous donor as part of the "Hugo von Tschudi donation"
Inv. No. 8672

OUR MASTERPIECES NEW PINACOTHECA

Vincent van Gogh created this painting in its radiant colors and life-affirming beauty in August 1888: it was supposed to decorate the artist’s studio in Arles, where he intended to work with Paul Gauguin. Extremely simply, even flatly, the artist depicted flowers, a vase, the surface on which it stands, and the background. The icy turquoise of the background greatly enhances the expression of yellow and yellow-brown tones, and the flowers make you feel not only the heat of summer Provence, but also the intensity of feelings in Van Gogh’s life itself. According to the artist’s plan, the sunflower represents the sun, which the master understands as a symbol of life and depicts it this way in a number of his works.

The simple form and rich colors are explained by the influence of Japanese engraving, but at the same time there is also a connection with the so-called cloisonism adopted by Gauguin and his followers. Van Gogh perceived the south of France in a broad sense as “Japan”, where one could find happiness, and “Sunflowers” confirms this great idea of the artist.

The painting, kept in Munich, is not the only, but extremely important version of “Sunflowers” by Van Gogh. The artist always considered this painting a worthy pair to the version stored in the London National Gallery. Subsequently, he intended to use both still lifes to create a triptych, festively framing the canvas “Lullaby” with them.

PINACOTHECA OF MODERNITY

Under its roof there are four significant, independent museums - the Collection of Contemporary Art (part of the Bavarian State Collections of Paintings), the New Collection (Museum of Applied Arts), the Architectural Museum of the Technical University of Munich, as well as the State Graphic Collection of Munich. Thus, the Pinakothek Moderna is one of the world's largest museums of art, architecture and design of the 20th and 21st centuries. The interdisciplinary focus of the Pinakothek of Modernity allows us to preserve the individual identity of each of the museums and at the same time present them as interconnected parts of a wider cultural context. A spacious building of interesting architecture, with a glass rotunda in the center, helps to open up to visitors the idea of the interpenetration of arts and offers a new, unexpected way of looking at things.

OUR MASTERPIECES PINACOTHECA OF MODERNITY

In 1937, Max Beckmann emigrated to Amsterdam, where, overcoming great difficulties, he worked during the German occupation. It was here, at the turn of 1943-44, that this self-portrait was created, in which the artist appears powerful and unbroken, but with a face that looks like a frozen, fuzzy mask. The black formal suit here is just an attribute that no longer corresponds to the real state of affairs, but emphasizes a certain detachment of the artist from the surrounding reality, his inaccessibility and at the same time formally closes the composition in the direction of the viewer. This impression is further strengthened by the hand bent at an angle, with which the artist seems to be fencing himself off from the world, as well as the back of the chair. Among the artist’s numerous self-portraits, this one perhaps leaves the most difficult feeling, since undisguised aggressiveness alienates the artist not only from the hostile world, but also from himself. No disguise could have alienated Beckman from himself more than this seemingly ordinary appearance. The tragic numbness will be released by the artist only after emigrating to America, where he will gain external freedom.

BRANDHORST MUSEUM

The Brandhorst Museum, part of the Bavarian State Collections of Paintings, was opened in 2009 next to the Pinakothek and harmoniously complements the Munich Art Area with an impressive collection of works of classical modern and contemporary art. The new museum features spectacular architecture and offers visitors two significant collections of works by Andy Warhol and Cy Twombly, as well as paintings by Sigmar Polke, Gerhard Richter, Mike Kelly, Bruce Nauman, Damien Hirst and others.

Interior of the Brandhorst Museum
with Cy Twombly's Lepanto cycle

OUR MASTERPIECES BRANDHORST MUSEUM

The paintings of the American artist Cy Twombly, who was born in 1928 in Lexington, Virginia and died in 2011 in Rome, have become iconic for the Brandhorst Gallery. After studying art at a number of institutions of higher education, Cy Twombly briefly attended Black Mountain College and then traveled with Robert Rauschenberg to Europe and North Africa. It was during this period that Twombly turned to the theme of the Mediterranean, which became one of the main sources of his inspiration.

Twombly has no equal in his subtle and lyrical combination of drawing and text. Along with Robert Rauschenberg and Jasper Johns, he is the most important representative of his generation, which replaced Abstract Expressionism. Like Rauschenberg and Jones, Twombly managed not only to mark a new significant era in American art, but also to develop a completely unique language of visual images, powerful in its expression.

The monumental cycle “Lepanto” (2001), consisting of twelve parts, was included in the permanent exhibition, deployed in the central hall, which was decorated in accordance with the wishes of the artist. More than 170 exhibits presented in the Brandhorst Gallery - including paintings, sculptures and drawings from different periods - introduce the creative development of this original artist; This collection is considered the most significant collection of Twombly's works outside the United States, comparable only to the Sy Gallery

Arnold Böcklin (1827-1901)
"Triton and Nereid" (1874)
Canvas, oil. 105.3 x 194.0 cm
© Bavarian State Painting Collections, Munich – Schack Gallery

OUR MASTERPIECES GALLERY SHAKA

"Triton and Nereid" is the last painting by Böcklin acquired for the Schack collection. The artist once again drew the theme for the painting from ancient mythology: he depicts sea creatures in a psychologically tense situation, which encourages the viewer to think about the relationships between the individual characters represented on the canvas. Triton, the son of Poseidon and Amphitrite, combines in his appearance the features of a man and a fish: he has the figure of a man with a fish tail. According to Böcklin, Triton appears as a bearded, wild creature: turning his hairy back to the viewer, he blows a large shell. Nereid, one of the daughters of the sea elder Nereus, is depicted as a young woman with long brown hair and dark eyes, who is stretched out on a rock in an ambiguous pose. She is naked, and only a thin reddish cloth covers her legs. As if succumbing to a sudden impulse, she turned to a huge sea snake that had emerged in front of her from the depths of the sea.