Neue Pinakothek

The Neue Pinakothek is a Munich art museum known for European painting and sculpture from the late 18th to the early 20th century. Its collection includes works by Goya, Manet, Van Gogh, Klimt and Schiele, with German artists well represented. The galleries follow a chronological route, and an audio guide gives context for individual works. The material provided says the museum is closed to the public for renovation, so check its official website before planning a visit.

A museum founded for modern art

King Ludwig I founded the Neue Pinakothek in 1853 to present art of his own era. Its collection grew from his interest in the art of the 19th century, with a notable emphasis on German artists. The museum was among Europe’s first public galleries devoted to contemporary art at the time of its founding.

The collection spans European art from the late 18th to the early 20th century. It traces changes from Classicism and Romanticism through Impressionism and Art Nouveau, with paintings and sculpture by artists from Germany, France and Britain.

Artists and works in the collection

The collection includes paintings by Francisco de Goya, Édouard Manet, Claude Monet and Vincent van Gogh, as well as work by Gustav Klimt and Egon Schiele. German artists include Caspar David Friedrich and members of the Nazarene movement. Auguste Rodin is among the sculptors represented.

One painting in the collection is Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller’s Die Erwartete, made around 1860. Its central figure can appear to be looking at a phone, but she is absorbed in a prayer or psalm book. The detail offers a reminder that a modern-looking scene can have a different explanation in its original context.