Art from Antwerp: How Master created great works together!

Art from Antwerp: How Master created great works together!

Dresden, Deutschland - The art historical heritage of the city of Antwerp in the 17th century blooms - and twice! In an exciting new exhibition that the Saxon Art Collections Dresden (SKD) organized, the memories of the great masters of that time come alive. Antwerp was once a pulsating center for artists such as the famous Bruegels, van Balens and Franckens. Thanks to the cooperation in cross -generational workshops, remarkable works of art were created, as the teamwork now impressively illustrates in the exhibition. Bernd Ebert, General Director of the SKD, highlights the valuable exchange of talents between the painters, which shapes creative work. Despite the competition, the artists often worked closely together to support each other and learn from each other. This collaboration was not only a question of sympathy, but also for economic reasons and the expertise of the individual painters more than sensible.

A special highlight of the exhibition is a large-format city view that shows the artists' place of residence and work and illustrates the close partnership within this creative community. Over half of the paintings that are shown comes from the depot of the art collections and has not been seen since the Second World War. Some of these works surprised the restorers when they discovered that they had been worked on by several painters. A particularly impressive piece is a copy according to Pieter Bruegel to the older one, which has been restored and captivated with its high quality - it was moved into the first row of repetitions.

restoration projects bring back old heir

Another fascinating aspect of the exhibition are the latest restoration projects that keep the cultural heritage alive. Among other things, table paintings from the renowned Cranach workshop and by Heinrich Vogtherr d. Ä. Restored. These works are a cycle that Cardinal Albrecht of Brandenburg commissioned. The middle panel of the Magdalenen-Altar was thoroughly examined and restored after it was exhibited in the Aschaffenburg collegiate church for a long time. The tension tear, which was created by a weak point in the wood, was treated with great skill - from spying on the crack to cleaning the image surfaces and attaching new retouching to restore the original colors.

The table paintings that represent the Passion of Christ are an impressive legacy that not only has artistic value, but also historical. The Cranach workshop was responsible for the design of 16 change altars with a total of 142 plates, which illustrates the immense creative performance of that time. The restoration measures have brought back the original radiance of the boards and show once again how important care and maintaining such works of art are for future generations.

artistic encounter and knowledge transfer

Such art projects not only offer a look at past times, they are also a platform for exchange about current topics in the field of art restoration. In the old National Gallery in Berlin, for example, lectures on the restoration of well -known works such as Caspar David Friedrich's "Mönch am Meer" took place. Here the knowledge transfer between experts and interested parties is promoted and new knowledge about techniques and materials that are of concern in art history.

Overall, it should be noted that the exhibition in Dresden not only recognizes the masterpieces of the past, but also shows how lively and dynamic art history can be. It reflects the passionate cooperation between the artists and gives a deep insight into the artistic practices of past epochs.