GERMANY This tour will be led by Lars Tharp, MA, FSA, an art historian, lecturer and broadcaster who is well known for his work on the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow. Lars is a ceramics specialist who has curated or overseen exhibitions at York Art Gallery and London’s Foundling Museum. He is the author of several works including Hogarth’s China, and has led tours to Dresden, Copenhagen and China.
Art Treasures of Dresden: Porcelain & Paintings
Zwinger
• Visit the city described as the ‘jewel box’ of Germany, discovering a wealth of cultural riches, including magnificent collections of porcelain • Explore the outstanding collections of the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, recently reopened following several years of refurbishment • Enjoy an excursion to Meissen, a medieval medley of red-tile and stucco architecture, and go behind the scenes to view a demonstration at the celebrated porcelain factory “There are unbelievable treasures of all kinds in this beautiful place,” wrote Goethe of Dresden, where the magnificent Baroque dome of the reconsecrated Frauenkirche, in which Bach and Wagner once performed, vies with Augustus the Strong’s Zwinger Palace as the city’s dominant landmark. Dresden’s Royal Palace, the former seat of the Saxon government, hosts the fabulous Green Vault treasure chamber. The gilded and mirrored Baroque chambers of the Historic Green Vault reveal items collected by Augustus the Strong. The Zwinger is a vast complex of formal gardens, ornate fountains and grand pavilions. It is home to the Porcelain Room, which, flooded with natural light, displays the Dresden porcelain collection assembled by Augustus the Strong. We will also visit the recently refurbished Old
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“We couldn’t have had a better guide – informative, interesting and witty” “Lars is hugely knowledgeable and informative. His guided tour of the Zwinger was a masterclass” – ACE customers on previous Art Treasures of Dresden tours
Masters Picture Gallery, with works by Raphael (notably his Sistine Madonna), Botticelli, Velázquez, Dürer, Vermeer and Rembrandt. Meissen, a medieval hotch-potch of red-tiled roofs and stucco architecture, is Saxony’s oldest town. It was once home to the alchemist Johann Friedrich Böttger, who discovered the formula for creating white porcelain in 1708. Here we will tour the Gothic cathedral and visit the celebrated porcelain factory for a demonstration of the manufacturing process and an opportunity to view an exhibition of their wares. Further highlights of our tour will include a guided visit to Charlottenburg Old Palace with its Porcelain Cabinet.
© JORGE ROYAN/CC BY-SA 3.0
March 15–20, 2021 from £1885 per person | with Lars Tharp
FITNESS / PRACTICALITIES: This tour requires a good level of fitness, as it involves a moderate amount of walking, sometimes over uneven ground and cobbles that can be particularly challenging if wet. We will also spend periods of time standing in galleries. Lifts are not always available at sites so participants must feel comfortable using stairs. Our visit to Meissen will involve navigating steep steps.
Day 1 Flight from London to Berlin. Transfer to Dresden for five nights at Hyperion Dresden am Schloss. Welcome and introduction. Day 2 Morning walking tour of Dresden including Frauenkirche, Meissen Wettin dynasty tile frieze and Synagogue (exteriors) followed by visit to the Royal Cabinet of Mathematical and Physical Instruments (located in the Zwinger Palace). Afternoon: Augustan porcelain collection at the Zwinger Palace. Day 3 Morning visit to the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister (Old Master paintings). Afternoon: New and Historic Green Vaults (located in the Royal Palace – subject to confirmation). Day 4 Whole day excursion to Meissen for visits to Albrechtsburg (castle), citadel cathedral and modern Meissen Factory (demonstration of manufacturing process, exhibition of wares and Meissen shop). Free evening. Day 5 Morning lecture followed by visit to the Panometer. Free afternoon. Day 6 Transfer to Berlin with visit en route to Charlottenburg Old Palace (Porcelain Cabinet) and New Wing (time permitting). Flight from Berlin to London.
Please note that the itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements may be subject to change or confirmation nearer the time.
Cost of £1885 includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded room, breakfast, two lunches, four dinners with water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities. Not included: travel insurance, double room for single use supplement £190. TOUR CODE: ATDR21
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