Museum Of Fine Arts – A Formidable Art Collection
The Museum of Fine Arts was opened in 1891 by the Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria-Hungary. The museum has matching features and the exteriors of the Naturhistoirsches Museum. Both the edifices face each other and were built in the years 1872 and 1891.
These museums were constructed by the Emperors so that they can seek a suitable shelter for the fine art collection so that the common people living in the area can view this art work. The façade was prepared by the sandstone. The museum is rectangular in figure and has a dome at the top. This arena is 60 meters high. The interior of the building is richly decked out with marbles, stucco ornaments, gold – leaf, and the art pieces. All this gives a extravagant look to the place.
Contents Of The Picture Gallery
The museum has a fine anthology of the portraits as well as the armors. Collection that belonged to Ferdinand of Tirol, the collection of Handsburg, The collection of Emperor Rudolf II and the collection of the art work by Archduke Leopold Wilhelm. If we talk about the most important works then they are enlisted below:
- Jan van Eyck: 1438
- Albrecht Durer: 1511
- Giuseppe Arcimboldo: 1563
- IIdefonso Altar : 1630
- The Fur: 1638
The collections at the museum comprises of:
- Egyptian and near Eastern Collection.
- Collection of the Greek and Roman Antiquities.
- Collection of the Sculpture and the Decorative Work.
- Coin Cabinet.
A glimpse of these collections is really an unusual experience which will leave you speechless. The architectural mirror image of the Museum of Fine arts is the Museum of The Natural History which is on the opposite side of the former museum. The Museum of the Natural Arts was also built in accordance with the designs of Gottfried Semper and Karl Von Hasenauer.
The principle works of this museum include the works of European Art History. This includes Raphael’s “Madonna in the Meadow”, Vermeer’s “The Allegory of Painting”, and the Infanta art pieces of Velazquez. They also include the collections that serve as the important treasure for the knowledge of the ancient Austria. A tourist that visits the place can easily notice the variety in the art collections of Habsburg.
Timings
The best suited time to visit this place is:
Tuesday – Sunday: 10 am to 6 pm
Thursday: 10 am to 9 pm. But make sure that you visit the Coin cabinet before 6 pm.
So you can book yourself for visit at this historical place which may serve the purpose of your interest.
