The Neue Pinakothek Munich

The Neue Pinakothek (New Picture Gallery), the first public museum in Europe devoted exclusively to contemporary art, was founded by King Ludwig I of Bavaria. Ludwig took an active interest in contemporary art, especially German art throughout his reign (1825-–48), personally involving himself in architecture, town-planning and the purchase and commission of works of art. The Neue Pinakothek opened on 25 October 1853, with about 300 paintings on display. In 1891 Conrad Fiedler donated a large and important group of works by Hans von Marees; then between 1911 and 1913 came the Tschudi Donation with works by Manet, Rodin, Cezanne, Van Gogh and Gauguin, among others. Damaged during World War II, Ludwig’s building was demolished and another, designed by Alexander von Branca, was constructed on the site. The collection now contains over 5,000 works of art, dating from the mid-18th century to the early 20th, with the emphasis on paintings and sculpture of the 19th century. This new edition of Scala’s guide to the Neue Pinakothek includes extended captions to the 170 colour images, comprising a superb overview of this popular museum.