The pandemic is leaving its traces everywhere, Corona is not only plunging museums into crisis, but also their associations. The youth organization of the Kaiser Friedrich Museum Association, “The Young Emperors”, is fighting with resignations. After all, nothing is happening right now, neither excursions nor guided tours.
As a countermeasure, the museum association has started a film series – also in anticipation of its 125th anniversary next year – which presents ten works that have been acquired since 2008. Because the noblest task of the friends’ association is to make purchases for the picture gallery and the Bodemuseum. There have been 115 pictures and 170 sculptures since it was founded.
It starts with a painting by Jean François de Troy from 1725, which shows a reader who turns her exposed shoulder to the viewer and has her gaze fixed on a letter (https://kaiser-friedrich-museumsverein.de/).
“A billet-doux”, as Bernd Wolfgang Lindemann suspects, who will also present the other nine works, including a Saint Francis, the bust of a young prince, a Mother of God and a crowning of thorns.
Lindemann is the best for it, without a doubt. The director of the Gemäldegalerie and the sculpture collection until 2016 provides such a competent and entertaining introduction to the subject that one immediately gets an idea of French painting of the 18th century and longs even more for the reopening of the museums to be accompanied by the magical portrait to see his counterpart, a tea drinker, for yourself. Only Lindemann remains the soloist in the ten-part series, and one is already beginning to wonder why there was no other choice as a presenter.
Why not Michael Eissenhauer, Lindemann’s successor, who has recently been haplessly vacating his post as director? Why not a young curator, not a restorer? One would like to wish the noble club more diversity for its upcoming anniversary. Also to keep the youngsters engaged.
–
