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Gemäldegalerie, Berlin

— A timeless art collection that survived the times.”

Berlin’s art collections have been through the mill.

Over four hundred larger works were lost during the Second World War. Then, when the Wall was erected, the Museumsinsel disappeared along with everything else in the East behind the bricks and concrete.

In 1998, the Gemäldegalerie was finally completed as part of the Kulturforum, an urban planning scheme west of Potsdamer Platz. Most of the older collection pieces were reunited.

Just as Frederick II Hohenzollern pursued his political and developmental aims with tireless dedication, he demonstrated a similar passion for the acquisition of artworks. At the end of his reign, Frederick left a considerable legacy to Berlin. Now numbering around 3,000 pieces, the collection is one of the world’s finest.

Old masters

When J and I visited, a much-trumpeted special exhibition of works by Rogier van der Weyden and the Master of Flémalle (or Robert Campin, according to some academics) had just opened. The enduring and widespread popularity of the period means that certain of the paintings have travelled considerable distances to be here in this dimly lit, temperature- and humidity-controlled space. A sort of Flemish school reunion that happens once in a lifetime.

Not that the rest of the Gemäldegalerie was lacking in highlights.

A baffling one-room showcase inexplicably contrasted intricate, ancient pieces by Giotto with the work of modern abstract artist Mark Rothko.

Old friends

Then, tucked away from the florid landscapes and voluptuous nudes, we discovered a small side room of glass cabinets, inside which was a group of small format portraits, a little exhibition unto itself.

In this unassuming setting is a veritable who’s-who of Flemish masters. Van der Weyden, van Eyck, Petrus Christus and Bruegel are all present and correct.

Though less of a big namedrop than others of his contemporaries, Christus is renowned for his humanistic characters and unfaltering realism. Unfortunately for me and for all other Christus fans, his extant works are scattered all over the world. Stumbling across one is a rare treat indeed.

Old flames

Finally, another reunion of sorts. You might recall our trip last year to the Royal Fine Arts Museum in Antwerp, in which we admired Fouquet’s Virgin and Child Surrounded By Angels:

“The painting [of the Virgin] is actually the right portion of a diptych, the other half of which can be found today in Berlin’s Gemäldegalerie. If the two portions were reunited, St Stephen and Étienne Chevalier would both be gazing upon the ‘Virgin’ Sorel with a mixture of contemplation and solemn admiration.”

Well, having now made it to Berlin with the camera at the ready (no flash, of course) the diptych can be reunited, at least in our memories: