Art Tales

The new installation "Art Tales" in the window of the Swarovski store in the city center is a cooperation with the Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien (Museum of Fine Arts) to promote the reopening of the Kunstkammer (Art Chamber) in March. Among the highlights of the Kunstkammer are outstanding works of the goldsmith’s art, such as the famous Saliera by Benvenuto Cellini, first-rate specimens of sculpture, masterly bronze statuettes, filigree and bizarre ivory objects and virtuoso stone vessels as well as precious clocks, complicated automatons, remarkable scientific instruments, precious games and much more.

wisdom? peace? blank? all of this?

The recently refurbished Theseus Temple serves now as the venue for a new series of exhibitions of the Kunsthistorisches Museum (Museum of Fine Arts): returning the building to its original function, each show presents a single seminal work by a contemporary artist. Currently the temple houses an old, gnarled olive tree, cast by the Swiss artist Ugo Rondinone from a two-thousand-year-old living tree in southern Italy and then painted white. The show "wisdom? peace? blank? all of this?" runs through June, 24. Click here for a short video in german.

Autumnal Promenade

Today is National Holiday, Austria is celebrating its Declaration of Neutrality (1955). This day off is a good opportunity to take an extensive walk with friends or family. By the way, the buildig in the background is the Kunsthistorisches Museum (Museum of Fine Arts).

Theseus

Ascending the stairs of the Kunsthistorisches Museum, visitors pass the sculpture "Theseus defeats the Centaur" by Antonio Canova. The sculpture was originally ordered by Napoleon to glorify the victory over the Austrians in the Battle of Marengo (1805). But as his era was over before the work was finished, Canova had to find a new purchaser and found it in Napoleon´s father-in-law Franz II who reinterpreted the sculpture as national monument to the victory over Napoleon in 1814. Until 1890 the sculpture was located at the Theseus Temple.

A Closer Look

Let´s take a closer look at one of the fountains in front of the Kunsthistorisches Museum (Museum of Fine Arts)...

Kunsthistorisches Museum & Maria Theresia

The Kunsthistorisches Museum (Museum of Fine Arts), opened in 1891, was constructed by Gottfried Semper and Karl Hasenauer in order to house the art collections of the imperial Habsburg family and to make it accessible to the general public. On the square in front of the museum is located a monument to Empress Maria Theresia, the only female ruler of the Habsburg dominians and the last of the House of Habsburg. She implemented significant reforms to strenghten Austria´s military and bureaucratic efficiency (e.g. she established the compulsary education for children of both genders from the ages of six to twelve years). There are also some small fountains on the square.

Museum Night

Some 680 museums and galleries across Austria will welcome visitors for tonight´s 11th "Long Night of the Museums" between 6 p.m. and 1 a.m. In Vienna you have the choice between 105 museums, which offer a varied programme of lectures, art talks and special guided tours.
One of the participating museums is Kunsthistorisches Museum (Museum of Fine Arts). It was commissioned by Emperor Franz Joseph I in order to house the extensive art collection of the imperial family under one roof and to make it accessible to the general public. With its vast array of eminent works and the largest Bruegel collection in the world, it is considered one of the most important museums in the world.

Emperor Franz Joseph I

Well, and here is "Sisis" husband, Emperor Franz Joseph I. This bust is situated at the Fine Arts Museum (Kunsthistorisches Museum) which was built on his behest to house the extensive collections of the imperial family.