Staatsgalerie, a surprising museum

It is a museum for all tastes, where the greats of art and the new revelations merge.

It's true that hearing names like Salvador Dalí or Rembrandt Harmenszoon stop the course of a conversation, this is why for people looking for these types of artists, they can't leave Stuttgart without visiting the Staatsgalerie. On the other hand, for those who want to find the new revelations of art, this museum is a very good place to start your search.

History

In the year 1806, by order of King Wilhelm I of Württemberg, the architect Georg Gottlob Barth built the “Museum of Fine Arts”. In 1930 the building would be renamed as “Staatsgalerie (1)”. The museum has a wide range of artistic expressions, from paintings to sculptures and graphics, with which we are transported from the Middle Ages to our modern times.

Within its 12,000 m2 you can find around 5,500 works, including paintings and sculptures, not to mention more than 400,000 works on paper. Which gives it the title of the largest art museum in the state of Baden-Württemberg (2).

Outstanding Works

When I made my visit to the museum, I found with pleasant surprise that a large number of works captivated me, however, I would like to pay a small tribute to the following two (2) works, considering them as exceptional:

- Still Life with Nautilus Cup and Lobster (David de Heem, 1634)

The level of detail of the central objects against the blurred background of the painting generates a contrast that captivates from the first impression. On the other hand, the handling of light provides an unparalleled level of authenticity to this work of art. (3)

- Self-Portrait with a Red Cap (Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, 1660)

The level of self-scrutiny that characterized Rembrandt's art can be seen in the quality of this impeccable work, in which his face reflects an authentic expression of humanity. (4)

Opinion about the museum

I think the effort made by the museum to arouse people's interest in art is very valuable. An example of this is the possibility of accessing its digital collection (5), where all the museum's works are photographed and, at the same time, described in detail. This tool is useful in several ways, by allowing future museum visitors to decide which works deserve the most attention during their visit. Likewise, to grant the possibility to anyone around the world to appreciate a collection as impeccable as this one. On the other hand, on the museum's YouTube channel (6) you can find creative videos with which the museum seeks to captivate all kinds of viewers.

Final comments

After this little review I hope I have made you curious about this incredible place. I really motivate them to visit this museum, where they can enjoy an enriching experience without having to leave Stuttgart. For the curious, this is the calendar for April (7), so you don't miss any of these attractive exhibitions.

Andrés Sossa

20 of March 2022

(1) Geschichte. (n.d.). Staatsgalerie. https://www.staatsgalerie.de/museum/die-staatsgalerie/geschichte.html

(2) Die. (n.d.). Staatsgalerie. https://www.staatsgalerie.de/museum/die-staatsgalerie.html

(3) Einzelansicht. (n.d.). Staatsgalerie. https://www.staatsgalerie.de/en/g/collection/digital-collection/einzelansicht/sgs/werk/einzelansicht/45C44F3E4C61F43174358192E1763A05.html

(4) Einzelansicht. (n.d.-b). Staatsgalerie. https://www.staatsgalerie.de/en/g/collection/digital-collection/einzelansicht/sgs/werk/einzelansicht/54380C7F46703A16F34AA3BBE6FF0E03.html

(5) Digital Collection. (n.d.). Staatsgalerie. https://www.staatsgalerie.de/en/collection/digital-collection/nc.html

(6) Staatsgalerie Stuttgart. (n.d.). YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/c/DieStaatsgalerie

(7) Veranstaltungen - Staatsgalerie Stuttgart. (n.d.). Staatsgalerie. https://www.staatsgalerie.de/besuch/kalender/nc.html?tx_datamintseventcalendar_events%5Bfilter%5D%5Baudience%5D=&tx_datamintseventcalendar_events%5Bfilter%5D%5Btopic%5D=&tx_datamintseventcalendar_events%5BdayTimestamp%5D=0&tx_datamintseventcalendar_events%5Baction%5D=list&tx_datamintseventcalendar_events%5Bcontroller%5D=Events&cHash=c65bded7eaab7ebc39c9c614f23c2966