The Städel Museum is an art museum located in Frankfurt, Germany. It is one of the most important and renowned art museums in the country, housing a vast collection of artworks from the Middle Ages through to contemporary art. The museum showcases paintings, sculptures, prints, and drawings, with works by artists such as Rembrandt, Vermeer, Monet, Degas, Picasso, and many others.
Museums can sometimes be overwhelming. As I arrive, this collections is conveniently divided into eras. Armed with an audio guide, I start working my way through the rooms, trying not to get too lost and doubling back more than once! With such a collection, I don’t want to miss anything.
Old Masters
The Old Masters painting exhibit takes place across 20 interconnected rooms and spaces. The museum’s collection of Old Master paintings from renowned artists such as Rembrandt, Vermeer, Botticelli, Dürer, Rubens, and Titian spanning the 14th through to the 19th century. The display retraces the development of the most important schools of European painter from the Late Middle Ages, through the Renaissance and Baroque to Neo-Classicism. I admire a couple of highlights of my own.
Using the museum’s audio guide and the information displays, I learn a bit more about each painting and its artist. For example, Botticelli’s Italian Renaissance masterpiece is of Simonetta Vespucci, the woman once considered the most beautiful woman in all of Florence. She was the lover of Giuliano de’ Medici and on closer inspection, the pendant on her necklace ties her to the family as it was part of the Medici collection. Her hairstyle, known as a “vespaio” (wasp’s nest), is a reference to her name. The idealised style of the portrait is said to be in the mythological guise of a nymph, rather than a strict likeness. This perhaps accounts for the extravagance of hairstyle. The beads, ribbons, feathers and artificial hairpiece woven in was too extravagant even by Florentine standards.
Other highlights of the Städel Museum’s Old Masters collection include: Rembrandt’s The Blinding of Samson, Vermeer’s The Geographer and Van Eyck’s Lucca Madonna. See more Old Masters here.
Modern Art
Certainly one of the highlights of the Modern Art Collection (1800 – 1945) is Franz Marc’s 1911 Dog Lying in the Snow. Also voted as Viewers Favorite, the painting depicts tranquility and trust.
“The artist had carried out many an experiment with light refractions and complementary colours before “a pur colour relationship was achieved between the yellow, the cold white of the snow and blue contained therein”. For the artist…animals were closer to God than people. He saw the dog in harmony with nature as an embodiment of “the idea of a pristine and pure life””. – The Städel Museum
Other highlights of the Städel Museum’s Modern Art collection include: Matisse’s Flowers and China (The Capuchin Cress), Picasso’s Portrait of Fernande Olivier and Max Beckmann’s Self-Portrait with Champagne Glass.
Impressionist and Post-Impressionist Art
Within the Modern Art collection is a remarkable selection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works. Most notable of these are paintings by Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, Auguste Renoir, Vincent van Gogh, and Paul Cézanne. Monet’s The Luncheon and Renior’s Girl Reading really stand out.
German Expressionism
The collection of German Expressionist art refers to the movement that sought to convey intense emotions through bold colors and often distorted forms. Artists like Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Emil Nolde and Max Beckmann are represented in the collection, with notable works including Kirchner’s Nude with a Hat and Beckmann’s Still Life with Saxophones.
Contemporary Art
The Städel Museum has a dedicated section for contemporary art, showcasing works from the 1945s to the present. The first thing that strikes me about the contemporary art is the contemporary space that it is presented in. There is a completely different feel to this section of the museum than the rest and as I descend the two flights underground to get to the space, it seems to become more modern the further we descend. Likewise the art is different here.
The mode of art – a mix of paintings, sculpture, installations and mixed media – along with the renowned artists like Gerhard Richter, Georg Baselitz, Anselm Kiefer, and Cindy Sherman, make this a world class exhibit.
My favorite is Corinne Wasmuht’s Barrier, 2008. It draws me in, only to put me off. There’s too much and yet nothing happening all at once and although the scene feels familiar, there is nothing particular to distinguish, apart from a couple of bins and some fences. It’s also extremely large, measuring 548cm long and 214cm high. This makes it hard to miss and hard to draw my eyes away from.
The museum often hosts temporary exhibitions that highlight contemporary art trends and emerging artists.
Prints and Drawings
The Städel Museum’s collection of prints and drawings is extensive and diverse, featuring works by Albrecht Dürer, Rembrandt, Francisco Goya, and many others. The collection offers insights into the artistic process and includes sketches, studies, and graphic prints.
Other Highlights
Those described here represent just a fraction of the artworks and artists you can discover at the Städel Museum. The museum’s vast collection spans various artistic movements and periods, providing a comprehensive overview of art history. Whether you have an affinity for Old Masters, Impressionism, Expressionism, or contemporary art, the Städel Museum offers a rich and immersive art experience and is highly recommended.
Good To Know
The opening times and costs for visiting the Städel Museum are as follows:
Opening Times:
- Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday: 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
- Thursday and Friday: 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM
- Closed on Mondays.
Please note that these opening times are subject to change, so it’s a good idea to check the official Städel Museum website or contact them directly for the most up-to-date information. Regular admission costs €16 (although there is a discount with the Frankfurt Card).
I stayed at Le Meridien, Frankfurt, a pleasant 10 minute walk to the Städel Museum, convenient to the main train station (Haubtbahnhof) and the old town.
Would I Return?
Yes. There is so much more to see.
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