Left: Exterior view of Semperbau, Old Masters Picture Gallery and Sculpture Collection up to 1800. SKD, Photo: Juergen Loesel. Right: Conservator Christoph Schölzel with Vermeer’s Girl Reading a Letter at an Open Window. Old Masters Picture Gallery and Sculpture Collection up to 1800, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden. SKD, Photo: David Pinzer

C U LTU RAL EXPERI EN CE OF TH E MO N T H

European art history that is somewhat different Dresden is always worth a visit – but even more so since the end of February, when the Old Masters Picture Gallery and Sculpture Collection up to 1800 together started showcasing their world-famous works in the extensively renovated, modernised and reopened Semper Building at the Zwinger. TEXT: NANE STEINHOFF

Alongside the Church of Our Lady, the Zwinger, with its Semper Building, is the most popular destination for Dresden visitors – and not surprisingly, as the building complex is one of Germany’s most important Baroque buildings. Gottfried Semper added the Zwinger to the Semper Building in the 19th century, which he built for the royal collection. After a seven-year-long partial closure, the revamped museum building now has numerous highlights on offer to visitors. New permanent exhibition in the Semper Building The Semper Building’s reopening has been celebrated with a new permanent exhibition since the end of February. Surrounding one of the world’s most significant art works, Raffael’s Sistine Madonna, visitors can look forward to a unique tour through European art history, which just 42  |  Issue 84  |  March 2020

results in a unique tour through the epochs of European art and culture history,” says Stephan Koja, director of the Old Masters Picture Gallery and Sculpture Collection up to 1800. Delightful art enjoyment

can’t be experienced as impressively in any other German museum. For the first time, the Old Masters Picture Gallery and Sculpture Collection up to 1800 showcase their works together. Thus, visitors can look forward to Dresden’s impressive Sculpture Collection in the east wing’s bright antiquity hall, while marvelling at antique sculptures, as well as sculptures from the Early Modern period, which stand in direct dialogue with selected paintings of the Renaissance and the Baroque periods. This visualises the interaction between paintings and sculptures and points out the antique sculptures’ significance for painting in the Renaissance and Baroque times. “The abundance of excellent paintings of art history impresses me every time I stroll through the gallery. Together with the exceptional Sculpture Collection, it

Besides the building’s modernisation, over 20 masterpieces have been carefully restored and numerous frames reprocessed and produced for the reopening. New, elegant wall coverings and extensive accent lighting, as well as multimedia mediation formats, complement the museum experience and cater for some delightful enjoyment of art. Besides the permanent exhibition on three levels, a new space for temporary exhibitions on the west wing’s ground floor will be opened by a special exhibition on Raffael’s tapestries in April. Furthermore, a cabinet on the first floor will show small, focused presentations in the future. In short: truly a must for every visitor to Dresden. www.skd.museum