The Berggruen Collection, recently acquired by
the Prussian State Museums, is one of the finer
compendia of early 20th century art.
The art dealer Heinz Berggruen had a good eye;
an early friendship with Picasso didn't hurt
either. In a funny circular building at
1 Schlossstrasse, right near the Charlottenburg
castle, can be found some of the greatest
pieces not only by Picasso (good and not-quite-
so-good works of all periods), but Klee and
Cezanne as well. I'd allow an hour and half
unless you're a real devotee (I took two).
- -
Right near the Philharmonie, off Herbert von
Karajan Strasse, is the Kulturforum, a complex
of buildings I can't stand but whose contents
are world-important. I had time only for the
Gemaeldegalerie, the museum of old European
paintings, but there is also a musical instrument
museum, the National Gallery (modern art), and
the Arts and Crafts museum. Actually, I had time
for about 4 rooms of the Gemaeldegalerie. You
could spend an hour in each room, but I spent
less than half that. Most of my time I spent
with the Rembrandts (some atypical examples,
such as the Moses, as well as some perfect
specimens, including Samson and His Father-in-Law
(which I think is a self-portrait)). Also looked
with amazement at the proto-realism of some of
the early Renaissance Italians, whose use of
perspective and shading far predates what is
described in all the art history books.
- -
Monday is relache for most museums, so I went
to Potsdam (about 1/2 hr from the Zoo by S-bahn).
Walked much of the day through the Sans Souci Park.
Of course the palaces were closed, but I did walk
around the Schloss and the Neu Schloss and took a
quick look at the Orangerie. Saw a white-tailed
deer running through the park and reflected on
that it really was a charmed location after all.
The buildings are in various stages of disrepair -
not just because it's low season, but there are
signs of real deterioration. The two very impressive
buildings and their joining covered walkway just to
the west of the Neu Schloss are totally crumbling:
pretty depressing to see.
Walking through the town itself one sees that the
entire neighborhood is in decay. There's a lot of
history there, and I could see that a good sprucing
up might make the place once again as prestigious as
it was in the days of Frederick the Great.
The Dutch Quarter, part of the old town, isn't quite
so wretched; it's at least a bit prosperous-looking,
but not particularly clean or tidy. I tried to go to
Juliette for lunch, but it was closed.
Walked back through some kind of ugly projects cheek
by jowl with eighteenth-century buildings, then past
the town offices (notable by the relative absence of
graffiti) and then across the bridge to the train
station. Not going to visit there again soon.