 Bavarian State Collection of Antiques | |
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| Established | 1848; 177 years ago (1848) |
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| Location | Munich,Bavaria, Germany |
| Type | Art museum |
| Founder | Ludwig I |
| Director | Florian Knauß |
| Owner | Free State of Bavaria |
| Public transit access |   Königsplatz |
| Website | Official website |
TheStaatliche Antikensammlungen (German:[ˈʃtaːtlɪçəanˈtiːkənˌzamlʊŋən],State Collections of Antiquities) is a museum inMunich'sKunstareal holdingBavaria's collections ofantiquities fromGreece,Etruria andRome, though the sculpture collection is located in theGlyptothek opposite, and works createdin Bavaria are on display ina separate museum.[1]Ancient Egypt also hasits own museum.
Theneo-classical building inKönigsplatz withCorinthian columns was established in 1848 as a counterpart to theGlyptothek opposite, and commissioned by KingLudwig I of Bavaria. The architect wasGeorg Friedrich Ziebland. From 1869 to 1872 the building already housed the royalantiquarium. Later, theMunich Secession resided here from 1898 to 1912. From 1919 the building contained the New State Gallery. The museum building was severely damaged by bombing inWorld War II but was reconstructed and reopened to the public in the late 1960s to display the State Collection of Antiques.
The State Collection of Antiquities is based on theWittelsbach antique collections, especially King Ludwig I's collection of vases. In 1831 his agent Martin von Wagner acquired pottery from the archeological excavation inVulci, and his agentFriedrich Thiersch purchased by auction the antiques from the estate ofLucien Bonaparte. The king also acquired antique gold jewellery from the collection ofCaroline Murat, Etruscan bronzes excavated inPerugia and Greekterracotta work from South Italy.
After the king's death in 1868 his collection was united with theWittelsbach antique collection which had previously been founded byAlbert V, Duke of Bavaria. Later the museum was extended by purchase and donations. Among these private collections are the donations ofPaul Arndt (1908), ofJames Loeb (1933), and ofHans von Schoen (1964). These comprehensive collections specialised in smaller antique objects, glassware, bronzes, terracotta pieces, jewelry, gold and silver. During World War II the museum lost especially Etruscan pottery, which was stored in the bombedNeue Pinakothek.
The internationally renowned collection ofantique pottery is outstanding, comparable only with the collections of theLouvre and theBritish Museum. It includes ancientCycladic art. TheMycenaean pottery is represented, as well as pottery from thegeometric, thearchaic, theclassical and theHellenistic periods in Greece.
The museum exhibits artworks of the most famous Greek potters and painters like theAmasis Painter,Exekias,Archikles,Glaukytes, thePenthesilea Painter, theAndokides Painter,Oltos,Kleophon,Phintias,Euphronios,Euthymides,Epiktetos, thePan Painter, theBerlin Painter,Hieron,Makron,Douris, theBrygos Painter, theAcheloos Painter andLydos.
The collection contains numerous masterpieces such as theBelly Amphora by the Andokides Painter (between 520 and 510 BC) and theDionysus cup byExekias (circa 530 BC).
One of the masterpieces of Etruscan art is a head vessel depicting the Etruscan demonCharun (400-350 BC).
TheStanding Woman is a notable statuette ofterracotta (fromBoeotia at the end of the 5th century BC).The Beauty is one of the best preserved ancient terracotta figures in the world. It was made in the early 3rd century BC and was found in the vicinity of Athens.
An outstanding example of antique jewelry is the gold FuneraryGarland fromArmento (4th century BC). AGolden Diadem from the Black Sea, an elaborately decorated headdress from the Crimean Peninsula, was produced in around 150 BC.
A famous RomanGoblet fromCologne made ofreticella (or network) glass (4th century AD) still displays its Latin inscriptionBIBE MULTIS ANNIS (Drink thou for many years!). It was a present from the city of Cologne in return for King Ludwig's support for the completion of Cologne Cathedral.
The silver drinking bowl from the 5th century BC and a bowl of rare transparent soda-lime glass (500–450 BC) representAchaemenid Persia. The Corinthian helmet from the tomb of Dendas comes from a Greek workshop in southern Italy, 500-490 BC.The Goddess of Beauty and Love is a masterpiece of Hellenistic bronze art and dates back to around 100 BC.
An antique mummy portrait which originates from around 140 AD depicts a young upper-class man of imperial Egypt. It is one of the most beautiful and best-quality antique mummy portraits that exist.[citation needed]
The collections also include a comprehensive collection of about 800engraved gems donated by Helmut Hansmann (1924–1996).
Kunstareal district inMunich | ||
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48°08′42″N11°33′53″E / 48.14500°N 11.56472°E /48.14500; 11.56472
