Vienna is one of the most beautiful and oldest cities in the world. Her story begins in the days of the ancient Romans. Vienna remembers the invasions of the Roman legions and the barbarian campaigns, and after all this came the knightly era. Mongol Horde, Ottoman Empire … The soul of this city holds many memories. Modern Vienna has become the focus of sophistication and grandeur, luxury and modernity.
Vienna museums as guardians of the past
The Kunsthistorisches Museum is a storehouse of historical and cultural signs, stores countless masterpieces of recognized geniuses: Rubens, Rembrandt, Titian and others. Paintings of Schiele and Klimt can be seen in the beautiful Belvedere, a monument from the Baroque era.
Vienna is famous not only for general museums. In it you can visit the monastery of Sigmund Freud. His apartment was converted into an individual museum, which also includes his office, along with the reception.
Contemporary art in Vienna did not go unnoticed. A whole quarter is dedicated to him - the Museum of Modern Art of the Ludwig Foundation, the Museum of Leopold and others. Excursions in Vienna necessarily include visits to institutions representing contemporary art.
Such an artistic direction as graphics also found itself. You can get to know him in the magnificent impressive palace-museum "Albertina". Vienna shows a variety of genres, and the last gallery mentioned is of particular tourist interest.
Gallery Overview
The museum is located in the center of Vienna. The gallery building is a former palace owned by Archduke Albrecht. The Albertina Museum in Vienna is the curator of 65, 000 drawings and nearly a million graphic prints. Collection coverage - from late Gothic to contemporary art.
The gallery got its name from the name of the duke who founded it - Albert of Saxony-Teshen.
Gallery History
The ruler of the Kingdom of Hungary (from 1765 to 1781), Albert, who was a duke, began to collect a collection of graphic works in the 70s of the 18th century. He kept it in a residence that is located in an impressive building - the royal castle of Bratislava. The Albertina Gallery was founded on July 4, 1776. Many people are trying to find the relationship between this event and the declaration of independence of the United States of America, but this, unfortunately for them, is a mere coincidence.
In 1795, the art collection was moved to the current building. Especially for the gallery, it was rebuilt, as it did not correspond to the new purpose. 1822 was the year of the public opening of the exhibition. Not only nobles could visit Albertina, and the only condition was that the visitor had his own shoes.
Now it seems strange to us, but at that time it was important. Thus, the gallery was open to many. Soon, the Duke Albert dies, and the collection and the building are transferred to Archduke Karl, and after him - to Albrecht Friedrich of Austria and Archduke Frederick of Austria. And at this moment the exposition begins to expand.
Gallery History in the 20th Century
In 1919, in spring, the owner of Albertina changed - the Republic of Austria became him. The following year, the gallery’s treasures were merged with the print graphics fund, which was owned by the royal court library.
In 1921, both the art collection and the building officially received the name "Albertina". Vienna opens a new era in the museum field.
Large-scale reconstruction
For almost 8 years, this art gallery in Vienna was unavailable for visiting. It was reconstructed from 1996 to 2003. It’s easy to guess which place was the most visited just a year later. Right, Albertina. Vienna has not known for so many visits to one establishment for a long time. The museum exposition is very rich.
Today it includes the works of such recognized masters as Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Rafael, Peter Paul Rubens, Oscar Kokoschka, Rembrandt, Albrecht Durer, Gustav Klimt, Egon Schiele, Cezanne, Rauschenberg. Often hold special exhibitions. For example, 2006 was remembered for the exposition devoted to Picasso.
