Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna

Art theft, journey and homecoming

Construction of the art history museum in the Italian Renaissance style takes just about 20 years – it is opened in autumn of 1891. A large number of native sculptors - Edmund Hellmer, Carl Kundmann and Viktor Tilgner for instance - are responsible for the execution of the sculptures and reliefs. They offer an outline of art history, from ancient beginnings through to the 19th century. Important artists, patrons and personifications of significant art centres and genres are depicted here.

After it is opened in 1891, several months pass before the museum is made accessible to the public, with free admission. Mainly on display are works from the imperial collections, primarily those of Ferdinand of Tyrol and Emperor Rudolph II, as well as paintings from Archduke Leopold Wilhelm’s collection.

After the Austrio-Hungarian monarchy comes to an end, the powers victorious in World War 1 stake their claim of ownership and many works of art have to leave the museum. Initially, visitors are faced with numerous empty picture frames which are deliberately left hanging on the walls.

With the annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany in March of 1938, private Jewish collections are seized and handed over to the museum authority. War preparations include many works of art being brought to safety before the museum is severely bombed in the course of 1945.

In order to protect works of art from the being seized after World War 2, the Kunsthistorisches Museum send these treasures out on tour. The travelling “Austria’s America Exhibition” is organised, which does not return to Vienna until 1953.

Today the Kunsthistorisches Museum is home to 6 collections from the most diverse eras.