The Bavarian National Museum (Bayerisches Nationalmuseum) in Munich is one of the most important museums of decorative arts in Europe and one of the largest art museums in Germany. The museum was founded by King Maximilian II of Bavaria in 1855. It houses a large collection of European artifacts from the late antiquity until the early 20th century with particular strengths in the medieval through early modern periods.

The building, designed in the historicism style by Gabriel von Seidl 1894-1900, is one of the most original and significant museum buildings of its time. It is situated in the Prinzregentenstraße, one of the city’s four royal avenues.

The main building of the Bavarian National Museum includes exhibition rooms on 3 floors. The core of the collection dates from the art collection of the Wittelsbach family. This gives the National Museum an importance far beyond the local area. Diversity and breadth of the collections, however, were particularly motivated by the new additions in subsequent periods. The collection is updated continuously not only through acquisitions, but also by significant foundations and bequests. Support experienced by the National Museum, in particular, by the 1960 launched club “Friends of the Bavarian National Museum.”

Of great note: In 2012, the Museum restituted a bronze statue to the heirs of a Jewish collector named August L. Meyer whose art collection was seized by Nazis before he was murdered in the Holocaust. The museum had acquired the bronze in 1937. Efforts have also been made to return some silver objects to the heirs of other Holocaust victims as well.

The National Museum has several branch museums throughout Bavaria. A new building behind the museum houses as addition the Bavarian State Archaeological Collection (Archäologische Staatssammlung) from the first settlement in the Paleolithic Ages through the Celtic civilization and the Roman period right up to the early Middle Ages.

The museum is especially noted for its collections of carved ivory, goldsmith works, textiles, glass painting, tapestries and shrines. The displayed sculptures were created by noted sculptors including Erasmus Grasser, Tilman Riemenschneider, Hans Multscher, Hans Leinberger, Adam Krafft, Giovanni Bologna, Hubert Gerhard, Adriaen de Vries, Massimiliano Soldani Benzi, Johann Baptist Straub, Ferdinand Tietz [de], Ignaz Günther, Matthias Steinl, and Ludwig Schwanthaler.

The museum is famous for its collections of courtly culture, musical instruments, furniture, oil paintings, sketches, clocks, stoneware, majolica, miniatures, porcelain and faience, and its statues. It has probably the world’s best collection of the Nymphenburg porcelain figures of Franz Anton Bustelli (1723–63).

The Romanesque period is astoundingly represented by stone sculptures from the monastery of Wessobrunn and the marble lions from Reichenhall. Important pieces of Romanesque art include wooden figures of crucifixion groups from Bamberg, Schongau and Kaufbeuren, and several works of metal and ivory. The Kasten der Heiligen Kunigunde (jewelry box of Holy Cunegonde), is a unique masterpiece made in the year 1000 in Scandinavia of wood, bronze and narwhal tusk. Reliefs from the Magdeburg Ivories, plaques probably from an antependium of Emperor Otto I and a relief of the West Roman imperial court with one of the oldest representations of the Ascension among the most famous works in the ivory collection.

Key works of ivory art, important stained glass windows, and not least excellent testimonies of textile are found in the Gothic department. On display are also historic Gothic chamber ensembles such as the magnificently painted Zunftstube of Augsburg weavers, one of the finest Gothic cabinets at all.

The Bavarian National Museum displays one of the largest and most important collections of late medieval sculpture from the German-speaking countries. Special attractions are the great knight’s hall with the ceremonial armor of the 15th and 16th Century and the true to scale wooden Renaissance models of the Bavarian ducal capitals.

The portrait art of the Renaissance is represented by medals, miniatures, paintings and full plastic sculptures. Many items come from the art chamber of the Wittelsbach family. From the possession of the Wittelsbach the Bavarian National Museum also presents unique Baroque objects from all areas of craft and artistic production, such as ostentatious furniture, jewelry, weapons, musical instruments, watches, glasses, miniatures, ivories and bronzes. Of importance are especially Florentine bronzes from the collection of the Medici and pastel paintings from Venice including works of Rosalba Carriera. The Bavarian National Museum has the most important collection of the Bavarian Rococo sculpture. A rich collection of architectural models and designs for frescoes and altarpieces documents the new buildings and conversions of churches in the competition of the various monasteries and convents. A unique court ensembles are the silverware of the Prince-Bishop of Hildesheim and the service and figurative centrepieces of Nymphenburg and Meissen porcelain manufacturers. Rare furnitures testify to the high rank of the most famous German cabinetmaker manufactories of the 18th Century.

There is so much to see and think about in this fantastic museum that one post will not suffice. Below are some of the fascinating objets I encountered on my visit. I’ll be posting soon about some other aspects of the collections.

When I happened upon this lovely ceramic figurine, I momentarily thought I had wandered into a Tang China display! Closer inspection revealed it may look Chinese to me, but it is thoroughly Italian. From Ferrara to be specific. It beautifully shows us St. George and his nemesis, the dragon.

The wooden sculpture of the Virgin Mary below is one part of a 2-part sculptural group of The Annunciation, created in Tuscany c. 1410. Lovely in its own right, it would be wonderful to see it with its partner representing the Angel Gabriel.

The next picture shows a gorgeous ceiling. I love its massive simplicity.

Next is a polychromed sculpture from the workshop of Lorenzo Ghiberti. I am feeling right at home.

The works by Luca and Andrea della Robbia are immediately identifiable and always dazzle my eyes. I could spend an eternity in their presence.

The next photo of a relief in bronze and a bronze statue by Giambologna are especially fine.

The German Renaissance! Let’s learn. I know next to nothing about this era.

And, with the next work of art, we are back with an Italian connection. Read the label and you’ll understand that an Italian living in Nuremburg commissioned this unusual lidded drinking vessel. He sought to have his family’s crest, including the head of a Moor from the Pucci family coat-of-arms and the eagle from that of the Strozzi family, rendered here. It is quite something!