Down to Brandenburger Tor at 09:00, which was clear for a change, and almost straight round to the nearby Holocaust Memorial, which I always find has a rather strong effect on me. I took about 35 photos – to continue a photographic project I started last time I was in Berlin – but I moved on earlier than planned when l sensed that one of the security men was starting to follow me around; maybe not, but I felt uncomfortable.
A 200 bus along to Museumsinsel, a few photos outside there, and then into the Alte Nationalgalerie at 10:10 for the images of Friedrich der Große by Adolph Menzel (1815-1905), which he created after much research to illustrate Franz Kugler’s 1842 book ‘History of Frederick the Great’. Some big paintings (including the well-known 'The Flute Concert'), which were then, of course, engraved for the book.
I liked Menzel’s style and his precise hand; and his preparatory sketches are wonderful – he even did a full floor plan for 'The Flute Concert'. And a detailed drawing of a carriage step, for example, to be sure it was right in a painting. I messed up my early photos by leaving the camera on f/13 and wondering why the light seemed so dim.
Out of there at 11:30 and into the permanent collection, which is all 18th century – Graff, Schinkel, Caspar David Friedrich, Carl Blechen, Feuerbach, Arnold Böcklin, Max Liebermann, some nice scenic Monets, and lots of Hans von Marées. Also Wilhelm Leibl, who had a sad picture called 'A Woman of Dachau with a Child', 1874, long before that name gained such terrible significance.
Staggered out at 12:15 to the little café in the basement which is part of the bookshop, for a cappuccino and chocolate cake. Saw a sign for the Schinkel Museum in Friederichswerdersche Kirche, which I hadn't heard of but is on the map just the other side of Unter den Linden.
Comments