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Address:
Kupferstichkabinett, Schillerplatz 3, 1010 Wien
Opening Hours:
Mo-Th. 9.00 - 16.00
Fr. 9.00 - 13.00
Study Room: after appointment
Contact:
Dr. Monika Knofler
m.knofler@akbild.ac.at
Phone: 0043-1-5813040
Fax: 0043-1-581304031
Links:
Kupferstichkabinett
Akademie der bildenden Künste Wien
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Description:
The Graphic Collection of the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna (Collection and purchase policy from 1688 - 2004)
History of the Collection
The development of the Graphic Collection of the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, the Kupferstichkabinett, has been integral with that of the Academy itself, following the Arts and cultural policies first under the Danube Monarchy and then under the Austrian Republic. The collection therefore reflects 400 years of policy changes that took place during the dominance of the Imperialist state in the 18th century, followed by the gradual take-over of cultural responsibilities by the bourgeoisie in the 19th and 20th centuries and the beginning of withdrawal by the state in the 21st century.
The history starts with the private initiative of the painter Peter Strudel, born in what is now Alto-Adige. He attended the Studio-Academy of Carl Roth in Venice and later moved to Vienna. In 1688, with the support of an Imperial charter, he opened the first Academy of Painters, Sculptors and Architects there. After his death in 1703 the Academy then lapsed and it was not until 11 years later, in 1714, that the Paris-born Dutch court painter Jacob van Schuppen applied for the reinstatement of the Academy, which was approved. It is interesting to see how the changes of Imperial preference in fine arts from Italian to French schools reflect the fact that that the founder of the Academy was educated in Italy and his successor in France. At this time all the initiatives came from foreigners who recognised the opportunities in Vienna. Indeed, the statutes of the Académie Royal in Paris were adopted for the Vienna Academy, and Jacob van Schuppen was followed as Director by Maria Theresia's Swedish born court painter, Martin van Meytens.
The first reports of the collection profile we owe to the inventory of 1751, and then the later descriptions by Anton Weißkopf in 1783 and 1790. But the first real inventory dates from 1772, the year of the reorganisation of the Academy by Maria Theresia's State Chancellor, Duke Wenzel Kaunitz-Rietbeg, who was himself an important collector and patron of the arts. The reorganisation was needed because, in addition to the Academy of Painters, Sculptors and Architects, several specialist schools had been established such as the Manufactuzeichenschule, the Graveur- und Possierschule and the Kupferstichakademie founded by Jacob Mathias Schmuzer. In 1772 all these schools were combined in the newly founded Academy of the Unified Fine Arts.
By 1798 the collection included approximately 1,242 drawings, 670 prints and 88 models. These consisted mainly of the collection of the Kupferstichakademie plus object drawings, admission works, prize-winning artworks, studies and patterns from students, famous alumni or teachers, and specific commissions and purchases by Kaunitz-Rietbeg. This profile reflects the function of the collection for teaching purposes.
The most important changes to this profile, which would make it the second largest graphic collection of the Monarchy, occurred in the last 20 years before the revolution of 1848. Beside the donation of 500 prints from the private library of Franz I and the addition of 782 watercolours by Thomas Ender from his Brazilian expedition in 1836, there were several other major donations. In 1837 alone about 6,600 drawings and 12,000 prints were added to the collection. After 1850 the Ministry of Education established a purchasing budget for important collections and contemporary artists. With this budget the estates of Moritz Michael Daffinger in 1851 (415 flower watercolours), Friedrich Gauermann in 1863 (333 oil sketches), Joseph Anton Koch in 1865 (687 drawings), Benvenuto Genelli in 1871 (284 drawings) and some items from Hans Makart in 1884 could all be purchased, as well as the collections of Johann Christoph Endris with works by German and Austrian artist from the romantic movement in 1868, and the famous Hüsgen collection with 273 prints by Albrecht Dürer in 1873. It is interesting that each of these purchases was completed in between one and three months, a very short time which would be impossible today. In addition to all this, there were noteworthy commissioned works from contemporary artists like Rudolf von Alt. There was also a lot of interest in new technology, such as lithography and photography, items which were collected mainly by the Professors of architecture from the early 1850's onwards. The collection of photographs contains about 18,000 pieces, which still await a research project.
A unique part of the collection is that of architectural drawings, beginning with the world's largest collection of Gothic drawings from the masons of St. Stephan. Then there are drawings from the historicist school of Friedrich Schmidt and the estates of Theophil Hansen, one of the main architects of the Ringstraße, others from the modernist Ernst Plischke, and finally about 100 drawings by Otto Wagner and his school.
With the move of the Academy to the new building by Theophil Hansen on Schillerplatz in 1876, both the Picture Gallery and the Graphic Collection were separately housed and no longer exhibited in the entire building, like in the former premises in the St. Anna Convent. The Graphic Collection remained with the library of the Academy, where the drawings were stored in a separate room while prints stayed in the study room. As a result the Graphic Collection became something of a Sleeping Beauty. This situation only changed in 1997, when the collection moved to new premises next to the main building, the so called Academy Court, which was designed by the former Dean and professor of architecture, Roland Rainer. Generous administrative and study rooms, a conservation studio and two separate storages made it possible to open the collection for research. Two exhibition halls have allowed us to organise over 50 exhibitions in the last 6 years, from our own collection as well as works by contemporary artists. Emphasis has always been given to shows by the different classes of the Academy, and to experimental prints.
This new situation has allowed us to establish a new image, which reflects the quality and the value of one of the oldest collections in Austria. From January 1st 2004 a new university law, the UOG 2002, established the Graphic Collection as a separate body, reporting directly to the Dean of the Academy.
Another major change introduced by the new law is the merger of the Archive of the Academy and the Graphic Collection, which greatly facilitates research.
Characteristics of the Collection
Throughout the 18th and 19th century the purpose of the collected works was to support teaching. For most of the 18th century, each professor had to deliver a certain number of drawings each year, which is why the profile of the 18th century collection consists mainly of works by Austrian artists or honorary members of the Academy. In specialist schools like the Manufakturzeichenschule collections of patterns were built up, which have been preserved complete up to today. Through the donations in the first half of the 19th century, the profile of the collection changed rapidly from a teaching tool to a graphic collection in a wider sense. During the second half of the 19th century the directors of the library, of which the collection was a part, established guidelines for a purchasing policy: to continue collecting contemporary Austrian artworks including new media (Lithography and Photography), and to build on the existing collection of international artworks which had been donated during the first half of the century. In conjunction with the acquisition of important private collections in 1868, the director of the library, Carl von Lützow, made a precise description of the whole collection, which records its development from the beginning of the Academy. The policy then established was followed until the end of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy in 1918.
Due to the economic and political difficulties experienced during the First Republic and World War II, followed by the occupation of Austria until 1955, most of the additions in this period consisted of donations from teachers and former students and very view purchases can be found in the inventory books. However, in 1985 the “Society of Friends of the Fine Arts” was formed to support the Academy and since then has been the main sponsor for acquisitions. Since 1996 a budget has been allocated for a yearly competition for works on paper by young artists up to 35 years of age. This has enabled us to put together a remarkable collection, which will be shown for the first time this April to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Society.
Research Projects
In the past six years, major research projects have been undertaken with the financial help of two Austrian Foundations, the Foundation for the Support of Scientific Research and the Jubilee Foundation of the Austrian National Bank: the scholarly research of the German and Dutch drawings, the entire collection of drawings and watercolours from the Romantic Movement, the Catalogue Raisonné of the architect Ernst Plischke and the scholarly research, conservation and digitizing of the collection of gothic architectural drawings on paper and parchment. Beside our own research we support thesis and diploma work which uses artworks from the collection, e.g. the architect and collector Franz Jäger II, the Pietro Nobile School, and the stock of drawings by the Galli-Bibiena Family.
Conservation
We work closely with the Academy Schools for Conservation and Technology, and our studio’s aim is to meet the highest standards in this field and play a leading role in the conservation of works on paper. From both institutes we receive scientific and technical support. An excellent library, the necessary equipment for research and a lively discussion forum, which also includes the studios of the Albertina and the National Library, create an important background for our studio. Two major results of this cooperation are worth mentioning: expertise in the conservation of parchments, and the development of a new method for conserving transparent papers.
Digital Catalogue
Since 1997 we have been transferring the traditional catalogue and the inventory books into a digital Databank (CMB Artefakt), but due to lack of staff progress is very slow. We hope that in the near future, through the help of volunteers and a specially funded project, all the basic information can be entered.
Exhibitions
Since the re-opening in our new premises in October 1996 more than 50 exhibitions have been organised in the two galleries. We show parts of the collection in one gallery and contemporary art in the other. To get the benefit of synergy we try to plan parallel exhibitions with the major museums, like the Kunsthistorisches Museum and the Österreichische Galerie Belvedere. As we are part of the Academy of Fine Arts, the presentation of young artists' work and innovative printing techniques is also part of our mission.
Further Reading:
Robert Wagner
Thomas Ender in Brasilien
Graz 1994
Erwin Pokorny
Meisterzeichnungen des 16. und 17. Jahrhunderts
Wien 1997
Monika Knofler - Christine Ljubanovic
Christine Ljubanovic -impressit
Wien 1998
Bärbel Holaus
Ferdinand Schmutzer - Porträtist des Wiener Geisteslebens
Wien 1999
Monika Knofler/ Peter Weiermair
Das Bild des Körpers in der Kunst des 17. bis 20. Jahrhunderts
Salzburg 2000
Cornelia Reiter
Suche nach dem Unendlichen - Aquarelle und Zeichnungen
der deutschen und österreichischen Romantik
München 2001
August Sarnitz/Eva Ottilinger
E. Plischke - Die österreichische Architektur der Moderne in Österreich und in der Emigration
München 2003
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