Munich; Sunday, 21 December, 2014

Having not really done very much the previous day I decided I was going to hit the high-culture today. Though that would require a bit of a lie-in and another stonking breakfast.

I headed into town and over to the site of the Bavarian State Painting Collections which is divided over a number of galleries, four located next to each other covering the main sweep of the Collection.

First stop was the Alte Pinakothek which houses the pre-18th century art, most of it being religious art from a number of old masters. The gallery itself was in the process of being renovated, so a large part was closed which meant that I’d zipped round the gallery in quite a quick time.

Next, across the road from the Alte Pinakothek the Neue Pinakothek houses Art from the 18th and 19th century, again lots of famous painters including a few Van Gogh’s, Cezanne’s and Monet’s. There was an excellent exhibition of late mid-19th century paintings and late 19th century photos of Venice that really helped to show how little that city has changed over the last 150 years or so.

From the Neue Pinakothek it’s a short walk back past the Alte and across the other road it faces to the Pinakothek der Moderne, the collection of Modern art and design. This included a good collection of works by Picasso and Miro as well as lots of exhibits on modern design. The building itself was incredibly interesting built round a central rotunda offering wide sweeping views across all the galleries.

After a very late lunch in the café in the Modern art gallery I headed across the road to the final gallery of the day the Museum Brandhorst which houses the contemporary art including works by Warhol, Cy Twombly and even Damien Hurst. I don’t know if it was being galleried out, or if it’s a final realisation that I just don’t get contemporary art, but I was round and out in less than 30 minutes.

I wandered back towards the centre of town, stopping off at the Königsplatz to take in the stunning sky bathed red by the shortest days setting sun, and the monumental buildings of the Propyläen, Glyptothek and Classical Art museum.

Back in town I headed over to Sendlinger Tor to the Christmas market there to do a bit of Christmas shopping and to have a decidedly unhealthy dinner of Bratwurst and Glühwein before heading back to the hotel to rest my museum feet.