Private Collecting Passion at the Highest Level

The Principality of Liechtenstein is celebrating its 300th anniversary in 2019. In honor of this occasion, the Albertina presents “Rubens to Makart”, a comprehensive selection of the most outstanding works of the collections of the Prince of Liechtenstein. At the same time, the Albertina also presents “Rudolf von Alt and His Time”, an exhibition of Vienna watercolors as an essential part of the Princely Collections.

500 Years of Art History

Giuseppe Arcimboldo, Earth/Terra, approx. 1570 (c) LIECHTENSTEIN. The Princely Collections. Vaduz-Vienna

More than 100 of the most important paintings and sculptures from the exquisite collection of one of the most traditional houses in Europe span an impressive range from the early Italian Renaissance through the Baroque to the Viennese Biedermeier and the historicism of the Makart era. Works such as Antico’s bust of Marc Aurel, the life-size bronze sculptures by Adrian de Fries and Peter Paul Rubens’ famous Venus in front of the mirror are the focus of the exhibition, which will take you through 500 years of art history.

For more than 400 years, the passionate collecting activity of the princes has been documented. Influenced by their individual artistic interests, a private collection was formed that is still unique today. The Princely Family had a permanent residence in Vienna until 1938, but the city was also of importance to the artistic collection: Under Prince Johann Adam Andreas I, who is credited with the acquisition of numerous major works of Flemish Baroque artists, the collection was exhibited in 1705 on the second grand floor of the new Liechtenstein City Palace on Bankgasse (formerly Schenkenstraße). In 1810, Prince Johann I von

Pier Jacopo Alari-Bonacolsi known as Antico, Bust of Marcus Aurelius, approx. 1500 (c) LIECHTENSTEIN. The Princely Collections. Vaduz-Vienna

Liechtenstein made his masterpieces accessible to the Viennese public for the first time in the Leichtenstein Garden Palace in the Rossau quarter. During the Second World War, the family moved their residence and thus the art collections to Liechtenstein. To this day, Vaduz is still home to the collections, while selected works are on permanent display in the galleries of the Liechtenstein Garden and City Palaces in Vienna and can be viewed as part of a guided tour.

The exhibition displays the greatest treasures of the Liechtenstein collections and thus exemplifies their outstanding wealth. The spectrum spans from Guiseppe Arcimboldo, Jan Brueghel the Elder and Peter Paul Rubens to Canaletto, Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller, Hans Makart and other greats whose works appear completely new and fresh in the modern framework of the Albertina.

Rudolf von Alt and His Time.

The second part of the anniversary exhibition is dedicated to Viennese watercolors from the Biedermeier all the way to the Realism movements. 90 of the most beautiful watercolors not only represent the princely passion for collecting, but also provide an overview of the watercolor art of the time.

Rubens to Makart.
Liechtenstein. The Princely Collections.
https://www.albertina.at/en/exhibitions/liechtenstein-the-princely-collections/

and

Rudolf von Alt and his time.
Watercolors from the Princely Collections of Liechtenstein.
https://www.albertina.at/en/exhibitions/rudolf-von-alt-and-his-time/

until June 10th, 2019

at
ALBERTINA
Albertinaplatz 1
1010 Vienna
https://www.albertina.at/en/

Opening hours:
Daily 10.00 am – 06.00 pm
Wednesday and Friday 10.00 am – 09.00 pm

Admission:
Regular price € 16,00
Children under 19 – free

Data and Image sources: Copyright © Albertina, https://www.albertina.at/en/
With many thanks for the kind support.

Header photo:
Giovanni Antonio Canal known as Canaletto
View of the Estuary of the Canale di Cannaregio, approx. 1735 – 1742
© Liechtenstein. The Princely Collections. Vaduz-Vienna.