Exhibition at the Painting Gallery Old Masters Dresden, 26.05.-26.08.2012
She’s one of the most surprising artworks of Raffael’s œuvre, if not of Italian Renaissance Painting in total: the Sixtin Madonna. 1512 pope Julius II commissioned this stunning girl to one of his favorite young artists, Raffaello Santio, and he created a unique Madonna, enigmatic and puzzling. She is not the queen on a heavenly throne, she seems quite introvert. A mistrustingly looking child in her arms, she’s walking out of a lopsided curtain down the clouds as a young beautiful peasant girl would walk over the meadows, barefooted. It is one of the most famous but at the same time most unknown paintings of European art history, because if you are really honest, what DO you really know of the painting? Infact the two bored putti below the Madonna became an icon of PR – you can buy cups, chocolates, shirts and even Christmas decoration with these “posterboys of the Renaissance”. Yes, they are somehow cute in their boredom, but what about HER? Why is she so shy and earthly, why the pope so deranged and everyday-like?
Come with us and discover the background histories around one of the most intriguing paintings of the 16th century as well as one of the most beautiful art collections in Europe, the Old Master’s Painting Gallery in Dresden (if you’re into Dutch art and straight hanging curtains, don’t miss Jan Vermeer’s masterpiece “Young girl reading a letter”). Already the location of the Gallery is stage-like – between the beautifully restored Zwinger and Theatre Square, where the Semper Opera is waiting for you to entertain you at night.
Discover eternal beauties as well as the young and vibrant Dresden – and if you have a soft spot for the “white gold”, the city of Meissen with its famous production of “Dresden China” (Meissner Porzellan) is just a short bus ride away.
Strolling along the terraces adjacent to river Elbe, you can get a grip on how lucky we all are that this Phoenix resurrected from the ashes of WWII. Dresden, heavily destroyed during air raids in 1945, has now become again a real jewel on the board of the softly flowing river. Make a wish on Augustus’ bridge at sunset – and we bet it will be to return to Dresden as soon as possible.
Contact us to make this wish come true and for unique tour and incentive proposals around Dresden and Meissen: info@cpberlin.de