fullscreen - MNAHA Collections

14 museomag 01 ‘ 2022 Recently the permanent presentation of the MNHA’s in- ternational collection of old masters was renewed. On the third floor, more than half of all the exhibition rooms were repainted and refurbished, while the selection and arrangement of the works was also changed. In- stead of an organization focused primarily on a division between European schools of painting, a choice was made to concentrate more on subject matter and spe- cific genres, filling the respective exhibition rooms with landscapes, still life paintings, portraits, and religious scenes. In part, this was born out of strategic choices made over the past year and a half in the acquisition policy for old masters, aimed at improving two specific areas that we considered weak or under-represented in our collection: European (specifically French) paintings from the period 1700-1825, and the genre of portrai- ture in general. Thanks to some long-term loans from a private collection and a handful of strategic purchases, we managed to bring no less than fifteen high-quality paintings to the museum in a relatively short period of time. Among other things, the museum can now offer its visitors a beautiful room with portraits (including nine recent acquisitions) in the new presentation. One particular example is highlighted here. A NEW FACE FROM NUREMBERG Among the earliest portraits in the new presentation, is the physically imposing and psychologically pene- trating effigy of the Nuremberg lawyer Valentin Kötzler, painted in 1564 by Nicolas Neufchâtel (1527-1590). Kötzler is presented in a highly restrained and digni- fied manner, befitting of his position, wearing the legal robes and cap of his profession. Neufchâtel has portrayed the sitter’s likeness with considerable skill, The museum can now offer its visitors a beautiful room with portraits (including nine recent acquisitions) in the new presentation. NEW FACES AMONG OLD MASTERS A MORE THEMATIC ARRANGEMENT OF SUBJECTS AND GENRES ON THE 3rd FLOOR © éric chenal

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