As of: February 20, 2024, 11:03 a.m
By: Katja Kraft
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Take a close look!
Very worthwhile in the William Turner show in Munich's Lenbachhaus.
© kjk
The Lenbachhaus in Munich is showing the largest William Turner show outside of London.
A visit to the star of painting: our excursion tip.
Then the Tate London comes along and, as a museum, offers you carte blanche: Take whatever you want, the British offered Lenbachhaus boss Matthias Mühling - and let part of the Blaue Reiter gallop to London in return.
London wanted Münter, Kandinsky and Co. and was able to access the largest collection in the world - that of the Lenbachhaus;
Munich wanted Turner for this and was able to use the largest collection of Turner works in the world.
Mühling stands happy during the press tour in the art building.
Because the Blaue Reiter artist group did not emerge in a vacuum.
Extraordinary talents and forward thinkers like William Turner (1775-1851) made everything that led to the Blue Rider conceivable.
This show tells an important part of the prehistory of what can be seen a few meters further in the main building of the museum on Königsplatz.
William Turner's painting was revolutionary
In order to fully understand how revolutionary what Turner did on the screen in the 19th century, you have to realize that expressionism and abstract art, which are completely normal for us today, did not yet exist back then.
Through their clever hanging, the curators Karin Althaus and Nicholas Maniu make it clear how the Briton became ever freer and more radical in his work.
On the left along the wall hang the works that he exhibited during his lifetime, on the right those that were created behind the scenes, hidden from the public.
Zig-zag running around the room is strongly recommended.
In this way, everyone can trace how Turner became bolder as a public artist.
With continued success, he ignored the conservative voices of his time and lived out his free style.
Venice for example.
In a first view of the city from 1833, the gondoliers, the water and the facades are still clearly visible.
But this is resolved in two further Venice pictures from 1844.
The city seems to be sinking into fog.
You immediately understand why Turner never disappeared from the scene.
Why so many future colleagues have discovered him for themselves.
Mark Rothko (1903-1970), for example.
His color field paintings are unmistakably influenced by Turner's horizon games.
The drawings for Turner's students have never been seen outside of London
Turner was a child prodigy. In 1790, at 14, he exhibited his first watercolor.
Became the youngest artist ever admitted to the Royal Academy.
In the middle room hang drawings that he made for his lectures as a professor of perspective at the academy.
“The Power Point presentations of his time,” says Althaus with a smile.
Ushers held up the drawings for the students.
Turner was considered a poor speaker and spoke with a broad Cockney dialect.
His contemporaries complained that his remarks were special - but the drawings!
You should sit in the lecture hall to do the drawings.
It has never been seen on this scale outside London.
In the eye of the storm: William Turner's masterpiece "Snow Storm - Steam-Boat off a Harbor's Mouth" (1842).
© Turner, Joseph Mallord William
And then this abundance of extraordinary paintings.
The earliest in the show is from 1797, when he was 22. The moon illuminates boats in calm waters.
It immediately becomes clear what made Turner one of the most important visual artists of the Romantic period.
But the work does not remain as peaceful as in this nighttime scene.
Turner was interested in the opposite poles of everything beautiful, in what frightens – and at the same time fascinates.
Avalanches, thunderstorms, fires.
In “Snow Storm – Steam-Boat off a Harbour's Mouth” (1842) all his skills, his breathtaking, whirling style are condensed.
He himself claimed that for this work he had himself tied to a ship's mast in order to expose himself to the storm.
Whether it's true?
Not clear.
But the way he captures this storm so that just looking at it makes you dizzy, you want to believe it.
You feel the power of nature.
And stands humbly before it.
As a little human.
Despite all the technology, we remain playthings of the elements.
Powerful of nature.
Until March 10, 2024 in the art building.
Extended opening hours: Tue.-Sun.
10 a.m. - 6 p.m., Thursday/Fri.
10 a.m. - 8 p.m.