The Old Masters collection of Hamburger Kunsthalle, under the direction of Dr. Sandra Pisot, possesses an extraordinary historical depth spanning from the early 15th century to the late 18th century. At the heart of this collection stand the magnificent altarpiece panels by North German medieval painters such as Bertram von Minden and Master Francke, who form the foundational pillars of Hamburg’s own artistic heritage. Reacquired for the city through the vision of the museum’s first director, Alfred Lichtwark, these works constitute the very soul of the collection; while paintings by Lucas Cranach the Elder, Hans Holbein the Elder, and Jan Massys reveal the multifaceted and rich texture of the European Renaissance.
The most substantial and splendid section of the collection is devoted to 17th-century Dutch and Flemish painting. Rembrandt’s early masterpiece “Simeon and Hannah in the Temple” stands as one of the high points of this section, with its dramatic dance of light and shadow. Pieter de Hooch’s interior scenes, Anthony van Dyck’s noble portraits, and Rachel Ruysch’s meticulously executed flower still lifes bear witness to the artistic diversity of the Golden Age. Moving into the Italian Baroque, the detailed city views of Canaletto and Bernardo Bellotto, together with the luminous compositions of Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, further consolidate the international prestige of the collection.
By the 18th century, the collection takes on a character that reflects the intellectual and aesthetic quests of the Enlightenment. Jean-Honoré Fragonard’s “The Philosopher,” imbued with philosophical depth, and Francisco Goya’s striking portraiture stand out as key emphases of this period. Growing since 1863 through donations from private collectors, the Old Masters department—following its modernization in 2016—goes beyond a merely chronological tour. With thematic rooms and new comparative spaces that make international interactions visible, it now offers visitors a voyage of discovery spanning four centuries.
Highlights of the Collection
- Bertram von Minden: Grabow Altarpiece (1379/83) – Hamburg’s most important medieval work.
- Rembrandt van Rijn: Simeon and Hannah in the Temple (1627).
- Jean-Honoré Fragonard: The Philosopher (1764).
- Jan Massys: Flora (1559).
- Francisco Goya: Don Tomás Pérez Estala (1795).
- Giovanni Canaletto: Capriccio with Ruins of Rome and Motifs from Padua (1740).
