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Heroes, Saints and the Secret of Turning Ivory at the Lathe. German guided tour. The tour is free of charge. The admission ticket to the museum is valid.

…Bavarian and Palatine Wittelsbach rulers were among the great patrons of the arts in the Baroque era. The Bayerisches Nationalmuseum presents unique objects from the leading…

German guided workshop for kids. For children from 9 years. Fee per child 6,00 Euro (with holiday pass 5,00 Euro). Registration necessary:…

From the Sketch to the Realisation. German guided tour The tour is free of charge. The admission ticket to the museum is valid.

Since the early 17th century, pilgrims to Jerusalem could purchase miniatures of buildings as souvenirs of their spiritual journey. Among the most popular of these miniatures was…

This monumental showpiece cabinet with two writing compartments with fold-down desk tops on each side, revolving tabernacle with drawers in the middle and a top piece with clock…

This table clock is a significant work of the Baroque Chinese-style. The dragon as a crowning feature and the seated Chinese man on the table stretcher bear testimony to this.…

…also points outwards to the side, while the generously curved heel is the epitome of Baroque elegance. Applied delicate braids form a black lattice on the light silk background.…

This expressive satyr mask with attached irregular stag antlers is part of an ensemble created by the court sculptor Christof Angermair for Elector Maximilian I. The ensemble…

This precious chess set made of Meissen porcelain was obtained from the Munich Residenz and was either used at the electoral court or presented decoratively. The centre of the…

The Elector is imperiously represented as a military leader with his general's baton in his right hand. He is wearing a robe over his suit of armour, a sword, the chain of the…

These radiantly coloured and microscopically executed enamel paintings, are among the most precious works of art in Elector Johann Wilhelm's Düsseldorf collection. Employed at his…

This delicate silver Rococo centrepiece showing a pavilion with the group of musicians around a harpsichordist once adorned the table of Hildesheim's Prince-Bishop Friedrich…

At first glance, the enigmatic motif is composed of a fool's head and a bird whose neck seems to grow out of the head and pinches the fool's nose. The allegorical figure of the…

The court society is gathered in front of the summer palace of the prince-bishops of Freising at Ismaning. While the table is being laid and the guests play cards at one of the…

…physical assumption of Mary into heaven, one of the most common religious themes of the Baroque period. Johann Christian Thomas Wink submitted this Assumption of the Virgin for…

The monumental lidded goblet is one of the major works of Baroque glass art. It was executed for August the Strong, King of Poland and Elector of Saxony. The huge, five-litre…

This monumental monstrance is one of the greatest masterpieces of Baroque silversmithing in Munich. Franz Kessler, goldsmith at the court of the Bavarian Elector Ferdinand Maria,…

In Europe the mystery behind making porcelain was only unveiled around 1707/08 in Meissen. It was called the Arcanum and was closely guarded secret. This case is a unique document…

David Roentgen was the most famous German cabinetmaker of the 18th century. His Neuwied furniture factory supplied all European courts between Paris, Berlin and St Petersburg.…

Coming from a large family of sculptors, Franz Xaver Messerschmidt started his career at the Viennese court of Empress Maria Theresa. He fell ill and was forced to leave Vienna in…

Most Neapolitan nativity scenes do not put the main focus on the sacred events, rather they are colourful renderings of the lively hustle and bustle of the southern Italian city.…

The two-door cabinet is painted with depictions of the four seasons. In the lower half of the left door, a Latin inscription informs us that it was made in Elbach and painted in…

Hunting was the privilege and passion of the nobility. This precious wheellock gun is one of the characteristic achievements of the Munich court workshops, where cutting and…

During the 18th century, people throughout Europe liked to dress according to French fashion and also preferred using French terms. Richly embroidered men's suits of silk fabric…

The little porcelain box mounted in pure gold containing a perfume set is one of the most exquisite products of Viennese Du Paquier Porcelain Factory. It originally came from the…

This rifle is one of the most beautiful weapons produced by German gunsmiths in the 18th century. Extremely fine reliefs with hunting scenes and Rococo ornamentation adorn the…

Ignaz Günther executed four side altars and a pulpit for the church of the Hospital of the Merciful Brothers in Munich. The church was demolished at the beginning of the 19th…

Two scenes from the Passion of Christ are drastically portrayed here: his flagellation and the robbing of his garment. Christ's pain, shame and fear of death are impressively…

The only complete crèche characterising the liturgical year in the Bayerisches Nationalmuseum's collection comes from the workshop of Augustin Alois and Josef Benedikt Probst.…

Pallasch with sheath of Elector Maximilian I. Johann Michael (goldsmith). Prague (grip and sheath), Passau (blade), c. 1610/1614. Steel, damascened, silver, parcel-gilt, enamel,…

This is the largest orrery to enter into serial production in the 18th century and is the only one of its kind in a German museum. It illustrates the course of the then known…

This bass viola da gamba is one of the most magnificent instruments made by Tielke, who was one of the leading instrument makers of his time. The instrument was made for Elector…

…Gallery of Schleissheim Palace. There they were placed opposite the masterpieces of Baroque painting. The lavish use of ivory and exotic wood is evidence that the group was a…

The ensemble is one of the most famous 'Bauernstuben' (peasant rooms) in German museums. These are furniture and fittings from a carpenter's household, which could be presented to…

The tapestry shows a zebra being attacked by a leopard in a river landscape, surrounded by other exotic animals and plants. The tapestry has a surprising wealth of colourful and…

This bottle is the oldest known brandy container made of wood in Germany. In the 17th century, spirits had finally gained acceptance as a means of enjoyment. Drinking games…

Traditionally, falconry was considered to be the most noble form of hunting and was therefore the exclusive preserve of princes. Peter Candid's painting shows in detail the…

Trompe l'oeil dishes were real eye-catchers on the courtly dining table. These dishes in the form of animals, vegetables or fruit were modelled deceptively real in faience or…

In the 18th century, Parisian luxury goods retailers created a new fashion. They had combined various luxury goods, including Meissen porcelain figures, with fire-gilded bronze…

Symbolising the white and blue heraldic colours of Bavaria, ivory and lapis lazuli - the most precious materials imaginable - were used for the cabinet's palatial interior front…

According to Greek mythology, the Titan Cronus devoured his children because he feared to be overthrown by them. Only his son Zeus escaped this fate. Early on, he was equated with…

The hand-washing ceremony with jug and basin was a privilege of the highest-ranking person at the princely table. In keeping with the importance of this ceremonial act, lavabo…

In the Baroque period, gaming tables were among the most important pieces of furniture in palaces and residences, as social games and gambling were an essential part of courtly…

Surviving a prison sentence or war captivity could not be taken for granted in the early modern era. Prisoners and convicts were often at the mercy of the guards, who were…

This magnificent, colourful piece of jewellery art is a testimony to the political propaganda of the House of Wittelsbach, commissioned by the Bavarian Elector Karl Albrecht after…

…on display make it clear how the patron and the artist here created an image contrary to the biblical story: the stable in Bethlehem has become a Baroque marble palace with an…

Each guild had a chest in which the most important documents were kept such as guild regulations, lists of master craftsmen and precious items such as silverware. Official guild…

…coins from antiquity is absolutely unique. This major work of European ivory art of the Baroque period is decorated with microscopically detailed ivory reliefs: on the front with…

In the 17th and 18th centuries, large doll's houses were not used for playing, but as a learning aid. The girls of wealthy families could use them to rehearse how to run a…