Museum Tour: Neue Pinakothek Munich / Germany

01 July

Written by Andrea Buckland

Art, museum, museum visit Museum Tours Leave a Comment

Munich has a few of the best art collections worldwide. Its most famous museum is probably the ‘Alte Pinakothek’. Although I have visited the ‘Alte Pinakothek’ and the ‘Pinakothek der Moderne’ regularly I somehow neglected the third sister, the ‘New Pinakothek’, for much too long. It is definitely time for a revisit. Will you join me?

Ferdinand Hodler – Die Lebensmüden (1892)

Ferdinand Hodler, Die Lebensmüden, 1892

So much despair in Hodler’s ‘Die Lebensmüden’!

Two men are looking at the audience as if they wanted to accuse us for their misery. Who is the odd man out?

Four are praying, one is not.

Four have beards, one has none.

Four sit straight, one head bends down.

He is probably freezing and the most miserable one.

I love the color palette of this painting: different shades of white. I wonder why Hodler didn’t choose grey for such a depressing subject.

Pierre Bonnard – Braunkohlengrube (1918/20)

Pierre Bonnard, Braunkohlengrube, 1918/20

Another color palette I adore. Lines, shapes and colors – we become aware of the fundamental elements of art in this painting of a coal mine.

Children are playing in the corner. Why are they there? What are they doing?

I need to visit a library soon and try to find out.

Paul Gauguin – Birth (1896)

Paul Gauguin, Birth, 1896

How wonderful to transfer the cradle scene into a setting like that! A peaceful birth, no worshipping, just focused on Maria who seems to be incredibly relaxed after having just given birth to a Messiah. Her bed looks comfortable compared to the standard of the average stable furniture – worthy of a Goddess.

Is this actually Joseph who is holding the baby?

Auguste Rodin, Eva (1881)

Auguste Rodin, Eva (Detail), 1881

Don’t worry, Eva! You are not the only naked one in this museum!

Times have changed…

Anselm Feuerbach – Abschied der Medea (1870)

Anselm Feuerbach, Abschied der Medea, 1870

Dear Hodler! If you ever want to paint someone with depression again – look at this black lady here. Dark in dark, face covered and definitely not looking at the audience in any provocative way – that’s grief!