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Travel Blog of the Gaps
Saturday was my last day in Deutschland, and I was faced with a dilemma.
On one hand, many folks had encouraged me to take the bus tour to visit Neuschwanstein Castle, the eye-popping Gothic-revival structure built by Mad King Ludwig in the late 19th century. On the other hand, Munich is known to have among the best art galleries in the world. And time being the thief that it is, it was clear that the clock and calendar would rob me of at least one of these.
Eventually, the weather forecast tipped the balance for me. A strong chance of rain was predicted, so indoor art won out over outdoor art and scenery.
Munich holds several different galleries, but the most exemplary works are arranged chronologically in three different picture galleries, or in German, Pinakothek: The Alte Pinakothek, the Neue Pinakothek, and the Pinakothek der Moderne.
I spent most of Saturday musing over the changes in artistic styles found the works displayed in the Alte and Neue Pinakothek. This carried me on a temporal and temperal journey from the late Middle Ages all the way through the 19th Century.
The Alte Pinakothek, like so many buildings in German cities, was heavily damaged by Allied bombs. The exterior is still somewhat scarred, but the interior retains its charm. The gallery itself was built just to hold King Ludwig I's burgeoning art collection. His one demand was that its galleries be large enough to display his newly acquired piece, The Last Judgment by Paul Rubens. The painting still hangs where the first architects planned. It's a huge work, standing 6 meters high. But because they built galleries large enough for such works, the museum provides an excellent space to display some truly magnificent paintings.
The Neue Pinakothek's works focus mostly on the 19th Century. There are wondrous examples of the Impressionists, as well as great landscape art from the early 1800s.
I think I chose well. It was raining when I passed from the Alte Pinakothek to the Neue Pinakothek.
On one hand, many folks had encouraged me to take the bus tour to visit Neuschwanstein Castle, the eye-popping Gothic-revival structure built by Mad King Ludwig in the late 19th century. On the other hand, Munich is known to have among the best art galleries in the world. And time being the thief that it is, it was clear that the clock and calendar would rob me of at least one of these.
Eventually, the weather forecast tipped the balance for me. A strong chance of rain was predicted, so indoor art won out over outdoor art and scenery.
Munich holds several different galleries, but the most exemplary works are arranged chronologically in three different picture galleries, or in German, Pinakothek: The Alte Pinakothek, the Neue Pinakothek, and the Pinakothek der Moderne.
I spent most of Saturday musing over the changes in artistic styles found the works displayed in the Alte and Neue Pinakothek. This carried me on a temporal and temperal journey from the late Middle Ages all the way through the 19th Century.
The Alte Pinakothek, like so many buildings in German cities, was heavily damaged by Allied bombs. The exterior is still somewhat scarred, but the interior retains its charm. The gallery itself was built just to hold King Ludwig I's burgeoning art collection. His one demand was that its galleries be large enough to display his newly acquired piece, The Last Judgment by Paul Rubens. The painting still hangs where the first architects planned. It's a huge work, standing 6 meters high. But because they built galleries large enough for such works, the museum provides an excellent space to display some truly magnificent paintings.
The Neue Pinakothek's works focus mostly on the 19th Century. There are wondrous examples of the Impressionists, as well as great landscape art from the early 1800s.
I think I chose well. It was raining when I passed from the Alte Pinakothek to the Neue Pinakothek.
- comments
annav You have to go somewhere again soon--I can't enjoy my morning coffee without your travel blogs!