What does the name Albertina mean and what can you see there? Why is the Albertina higher than the rest of the street level? What sights do you see from above?
The Albertina is one of the TOP museums in Vienna . It owns one of the largest graphic collections in the world, including the famous “Field Hare” by Albrecht Dürer. Furthermore, you can see the permanent collection “Monet to Picasso” and changing exhibitions. The Albertina was the largest residential palace of the Habsburgs. Marie Christine, Maria Theresa’s favorite daughter, lived here with her husband Albert of Saxe-Teschen . It was a love match and the two were the founders of the art collection. The name Albertina is composed of her first names . The Habsburg state rooms, including the Hall of the Muses, can also be visited. The highlight of the museum are the graphic collections , which cannot always be shown in their original state due to conservation reasons. This goes back to a private collection of Duke Albert. He had his agents purchase graphic collections for over 50 years. In addition to the “Field Hare”, Albrecht Dürer ‘s “Hands Folded in Prayer” are familiar to everyone and are among the great works of art in history. The graphic art collections are divided as follows:
- Albrecht Dürer and his time
- The Italian masters of the Renaissance
- The Dutch art of the 16. and 17th century
- Italian Baroque and Late Baroque
- French drawings of the 18th century
- Austrian watercolor painting of the century
- Vienna around 1900
- Classic modern and contemporary art
The permanent display collection – Batliner Collection (from the collector couple Batliner) shows the art styles of the last 130 years. French impressionism meets German expressionism and Russian avant-garde. Famous paintings by Renoir, Monet, Degas, Malevich, Chagall, Warhol and Katz can be admired here. The Albertina sits enthroned very majestically , slightly higher than the surrounding buildings. This is due to the fact that it was built on one of the former bastions of the city wall (Augustinerbastei) . Take the escalator up and enjoy the view of the State Opera, Hotel Sacher and Albertinaplatz. You are guaranteed to take great photos and get the best impressions from here! New: Since May 2020, the Albertina modern, a new location in the newly renovated Künstlerhaus on Karlsplatz , has been dedicated to Austrian art since 1945 . Modern, contemporary art is shown here on approx. 2000m² in the newly renovated Künstlerhaus . Works by Arnulf Rainer, Erwin Wurm, Maria Lassnig, Franz West and Valie Export can be seen here, as well as works by Andy Warhol and Alex Katz , to name just a few international artists. Time Travel Tip: The café-restaurant Do & Co in the Albertina invites you to take a break, especially in summer, when you can dine on the terrace or simply enjoy a Viennese Melange (the Viennese’s favorite coffee) . Recently, the Albertina also offers yoga in the Musensaal . This would be a different yoga class in a beautiful historic setting. The Albertina also offers exciting child-friendly tours and painting workshops for children. Another tip: the sausage stand below the Albertina is very well frequented and highly recommended! Since it is located vis-a-vis the State Opera, it is also popular after an opera performance or in the early morning hours after the legendary Opera Ball. More info. Monet to Picasso. The Batliner Collection ” Albertina Museum Vienna
Image source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wien_-_Albertina_(b).JPG
