Given that all shops are closed in Munich on Sundays, the only option available to us tourists was a welcome one – the wonderful museums that display German taste in art throughout the ages.
As our taste centers on the classical these days, we spent our time mostly in the two museums that contained the Greek and Roman collections, in the heart of the Museum Quarter. Have I mentioned that it is cold here? We encountered many frozen people as we traversed the plaza, and were very grateful for modern heating in these edifices.
The most incredible was the Antiken Sammlungen, an amazing collection of Mycenaean, Greek and Etruscan treasures – a far larger range that any we’ve ever seen. The reproduction of the Etruscan tomb was wonderful to walk through. Good lives, good afterlives, these folks.
Dazzled by the Greeks and their equally talented colleagues, we crossed the plaza to the Glyptothek, a museum of mostly Roman sculpture. There was one Greek temple frieze that was quite lovely, and the classic bust of Alexander, but otherwise there was a distinct sense of old Roman eyes following one around the rooms.
For a complete change of pace, we then went to the Alte Pinakothek, the old art gallery, where all the crowds had come to see an excellent collection of European masters. We cherry-picked our way through, as museum fatigue had set in, and there was just too too much to absorb. But I wouldn’t mind having a few of these. Dürer’s self portrait hangs here, along with his take on the four Apostles, so the inevitable bunny was naturally in the gift shop.
We weren’t the only ones impressed by the Museum Quarter. That would-be artist, Hitler, had his office overlooking the plaza, so that he could enjoy culture by association. His personal office was directly over the entrance porch.
For those who are interested in such matters, our dinner with friends June and Alan last evening was a German delight, and a good time was had by all. We enjoyed schnitzel (2), roast pork and spaetzle, along with a few desserts, apple strudel with vanilla sauce being the most memorable.
Stay tuned for Italian tonight.