Alte Pinakothek

The Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlungen (Bavarian State Painting Collections) is the municipal authority that succeeded the “Centralgemäldegaleriedirektion” (Central Painting Gallery Administration), which was established in the late 18th century after the stock of paintings owned by the Wittelsbacher family grew exceptionally large owing to the inheritance of the Mannheim and Zweibrück Galleries. In the beginning of the 19th century, the collection grew even further due to the secularization and acquisition of the Dusseldorf Gallery. The Alte Pinakothek was built from 1826 to 1836, and in 1853 the “Neue” (New) Pinakothek was established for “contemporary” art of the times (destroyed 1944/45). Starting in 1919, the more modern works of the second half of the 19th century were exhibited in an exhibition structure at Koenigsplatz that was called the “Neue Staatsgalerie” (New State Gallery). The Bavarian State Paintung Collections holds a collection of Early Italian, Old German, Old Dutch and Flemish paintings, and is considered to be one of the most important in the world. More than 800 of these paintings are exhibited at the Old Pinakothek.

For more information, please see: https://www.pinakothek.de/en/about-us/history. Accessed 2 June 2021.