Alte Nationalgalerie

One of the cluster of museums on Museumsinsel, the Alte Nationalgalerie is home to the nineteenth century masters, with an emphasis on the German contribution to this age of art. It is a dignified, elegant nineteenth century building which beautifully compliments the paintings inside.

Starting at the top floor you pass through Classicism and Romanticism, including large collections of the German artists Karl Friedrich Schinkel and Caspar David Friedrich. Schinkel is far more famous for his architecture than artwork, designing many of Berlin’s buildings. The Altes Museum, which you walk passed to get to the Alte Nationagalerie is just one of his architectural masterpieces. Caspar David Friedrich, who’s mastery of the brush apparently caused Schinkel to leave painting entirely, is famous for his evocative landscapes which are mostly of the area around Greifswald in north-eastern Germany.

The second level in the Alte Nationalgalerie covers Idealism, Realism and Impressionism, with a small collection of French Impressionists including Monet, Manet and Cézanne. The ground floor covers Modernism and houses the sculpture collection.

The Nationalgalerie suffered under the Nazi regime, when many of the artworks were confiscated and never seen again, but then more so during World War II when it was heavily bombed. It was the first building reconstructed on the island (the last, the Neue Museum will be reopened officially only in October this year) and was the official National Gallery of East Germany during the years of division, while the Neue Nationalgalerie held that role for the West. Now it is one of the Staatlichen Museen Berlin’s (Berlin’s State Museums) and a few pleasant hours in the company of nineteenth century masters.

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