Masterpieces of the Kunsthalle Bremen: From Delacroix to Beckmann

Juxtaposing French and German art from the 19th to the first half of the 20th century, the exhibition will recount the outstanding story of the Kunsthalle Bremen's pioneering engagement with modern art.

The Kunstverein in Bremen was founded in 1823 by a group of engaged citizens with the objective to improve society's "sense of beauty". In 1849, the Kunstverein opened its own museum, the Kunsthalle Bremen, and 50 years later was appointed its first director Gustav Pauli. This legendary art historian based his acquisition policy on a dynamic dialogue between French and German arts.

The exhibition highlights how the Kunsthalle's collection was influenced by contemporary discourses on modern art and its early reception in Germany. The complex interweaving of local stories, national expressions, and international movements paints a vivid and unique picture of European art from the late 18th to the mid-20th century. 

Masterpieces of the Kunsthalle Bremen: From Delacroix to Beckmann

• October 25, 2019–February 16, 2020
• Curated by Christoph Grunenberg, director of the Kunsthalle Bremen, and
  Petra Joos, curator of the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao
• Exhibition organized by the Kunsthalle Bremen and the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao
• Sponsor: Iberdrola