The Gemäldegalerie: Berlin's Unique Art Collection

The Gemäldegalerie boasts one of the world's most important collections of European paintings from the 13th to the 18th century. After the collection was founded in 1830, it was systematically built up and now includes masterpieces by artists from every age of art history and includes masterpieces from such artists as Albrecht Dürer, Lucas Cranach, Hans Holbein, Rogier van der Weyden, Jan van Eyck, Raphael, Botticelli, Titian, Caravaggio, Peter Paul Rubens, David Teniers the Younger, Rembrandt, Frans Hals, Johannes Vermeer, Thomas Gainsborough, Joshua Reynolds and Antonio Viviani.

Unlike most major national European collections, with the exception of the National Gallery in London, the Gemäldegalerie collection is not essentially formed around the former dynastic royal collection, but created by a process of acquisition by the Prussian government beginning in 1815. From the first the museum was intended to reflect the full range of European art, giving a different emphasis from that of older royal collections, such as the royal collection of Saxony, now mostly in the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister in Dresden.

'The Merchant Georg Gisze' by Hans Holbein the Younger c.1532

'Portrait of a Young Lady' by Petrus Christus c.1470

'Portrait of a Young Woman with a White Headdress' by Rogier van Der Weyden c. 1440

Detail of 'Venus with Cupid the Honey Thief' by Lucas Cranach the Elder c. 1537

'Still Life with Fruit and Lobster' by Jan Davidsz de Helm c. 1848

'Still Life of Musical Instruments' by Pieter de Ring c.1650
and refers to the transitoriness of earthly life

'Woman with Pearl Necklace' by Jan Vermeer c. 1632

'Self Portrait with a Velvet Beret and Coat with Fur Collar' by Rembrandt c. 1634

Ceiling Painting in the Gemaldegalerie by Sebastinino Ricci c. 1659

'Mary with the Christ Child and John the Baptist' by Raffael c. 1505

'Don Gabriel de la Cueva, Duke of Albuquerque' by Gianbattista Moroni c. 1560

'Profile Portrait of a Young Woman' by Sandra Botticelli c. 1475

'Profile Portrait of a Young Woman' by Piero del Pollaiuolo c. 1441

is one of the most important women's portraits of the Italian early Renaissance

www.smb.museum/en/museums-institutions/gemaeldegalerie