Michelangelo and Beyond

The Michelangelo and Beyond exhibition at the ALBERTINA deals with the emergence, significance and decline of the depiction of the human nude, which was greatly shaped by Michelangelo.

Renaissance master Michelangelo is at the centre of this exhibition, as he is alone in his understanding of the new view of a dynamic body. His works had a formative influence on the artists of his time, but his importance extended far beyond his time and influenced artists into the 20th century. The exhibition shows the rediscovery of the ancient Greco-Roman idea of the ideal body during Michelangelo’s lifetime and the revolutionary advances in the depiction of the human figure.

Raffael, Dürer, Rembrandt, Mengs, Rubens, Klimt and Schiele are also on display alongside Michelangelo, each of whom developed their own perception of the body, be it through emulation, evolution or absolute rejection of Michelangelo’s ideal.

On display are drawings, prints and sculptures that examine the depiction of the ideal body throughout the centuries. Key works by Michelangelo, including drawings that arose in connection with the unfinished fresco of the Battle of Cascina, plus famous pieces like the Seated Young Male Nude and drawings from the Sistine Chapel will be featured. Raffael’s nudes in red chalk and Dürer’s meticulous measurements, which followed a different set of rules to those adopted by Michelangelo, are also included. Rembrandt’s unfiltered, true-to-life bodies and the Farnese Hercules bronze statue, which represents a separately developed body type, are must-sees. Drawing on the idea of the “dark side of the moon”, the depiction of the naked female body specifically is highlighted. The exhibition ends with pieces by Klimt and Schiele, marking the decline of the canon.

Overall, the items in the exhibition range from Michelangelo’s early works to pieces by artists in the early 20th century. It shows the adoption, evolution and ultimate decline of Michelangelo’s ideal body.

On view from 15 September 2023 until 14 January 2024 at the ALBERTINA museum in Vienna.

EXHIBITION PROGRAM 

Public guided tours (in German)
Learn about highlights and backgrounds of the exhibition in a one-hour guided tour of the exhibition.
Dates & tickets

For private or school tours, please contact our Art Education Department on weekdays between 9:00 am and 4:00 pm at +43 1 534 83 540 or .

PLAN YOUR VISIT

Opening hours The ALBERTINA Museum, Vienna
Daily | 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Wednesday & Friday | 10 am to 9 pm

Tickets are available on site at the ticket desks during museum opening hours or in our webshop. The ticket is valid for all exhibitions of the museum that are accessible on the day of your visit.

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To enjoy a relaxed visit, take advantage of hours when the museum is known to be less frequented: the early afternoons on weekdays or after 5:00 pm. On weekends and public holidays we also recommend visiting between 1:00 and 3:00 pm or in the evening.