A trip to the Kunsthistorisches Museum

This past week I took a trip to the Kunsthistorisches Museum (Vienna's Museum of Art History) as part of my Art History course and I was completely blown away. The place is absolutely HUGE. If it weren't for my art history professor leading the way, I would have definitely got lost on several occasions and probably would have had to spend the night there. The Kunsthistorisches Museum was opened in 1891 at the same time as the Naturhistorisches Museum by Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria-Hungary. The purpose of the two museums was to create a public setting for the art collection of the Habsburg Empire to be showcased. Not to be outdone by the gorgeous artwork featured in the two museums, the inside architecture is filled with marble, stucco ornaments, gold-leaf, and paintings.

Ceiling Painting

Crazy stucco statue with marble in the background

The purpose of this week's trip to the Kunsthistorisches Museum was to visit the Baroque Art and Art of the 18th Century exhibits. Some of my favorite pieces are pictures below. *I do apologize that the pictures are not very clear as no flash photography was allowed and the rooms somewhat dark.

Roman Gladiators

Conversion of Saulus to Paulus

This is what it looks like when my little sister gives my little brother a "hug"

"Hunters in Winter"

The story of Eden

Who doesn't like Cupid?

This painting was absolutely huge. I would guess 30 feet tall?

So was this painting.The lady to the left can give you some perspective.

Not too shabby. They allow to view the art in comfort, or take a nap. Your choice.

My favorite museum so far, The Essl-Museum (reposted from AnotherWhiteBoyInVienna)

My favorite museum so far, The Essl-Museum

So yesterday, after visiting the monastery, church and museum in Klosterneuburg and after eating a authentic buffet put on by a peasant family (no joke) we visited The Essl-Museum, a contemporary art museum. At this time, the Essl-Museum has three exhibitions showing: WOLFGANG HERZIG - titled "A Realist turns 70," a couple named NEO RAUCH and ROSA LOY who are showing their work side by side for the first time and is titled "Behind the Gardens," and lastly the exhibition "FOCUS: ABSTRACTION."

A REALIST TURNS 70 is an exhibition that celebrates the 70th birthday of Mr. Herzig, a man who in the 1960's became popular as an artist who presented his works in a style that is the complete opposite of what The Vienna School of Realists was presenting. His works aim to show "high society" in their real and true form, rather than what they see their self to be. You can almost describe his works as "purposeful ugliness." This exhibit was by far my favorite. 

HIGH SOCIETY

a "yapper"

dessert table

Hard to not like this one

swimming pool

A pig for a daughter

She is definitely a looker

BEHIND THE GARDENS is an exhibit to showcase the works of the married couple Neo and Rosa side by side for the first time ever. Although a couple, their styles are nothing alike. Neo paints in old-master style and containing references to advertising, comic strip aesthetics and Socialist Realism whereas Losa's ambiguous paintings are devoted to the mystery of womanhood, a new femininity and a new romanticism. The one aspect both painters have in common is the often dark or disturbing feeling that their works give off, even to the point where each viewer feels the need to decipher it. 

The final exhibition FOCUS: ABSTRACTION is a simple exhibition showing "some" of the Essl family's private 7,000 piece gallery of contemporary art.