Oldenburg State Museum at a glance

Oldenburg Castle has been the home of the State Museum since 1923. The former residence of the Earls, Dukes and Grand Dukes of Oldenburg traces its history back to a Mediaeval fortress which was expanded to create an imposing residence in the 17th century. Later, the facade was decorated with Rococo elements, and Classicist extensions were added to the ensemble. The ornate stateroom in Historicist style was installed in the 19th century. Some 800 cultural-history exhibits display the variety of Oldenburg State over the centuries. Mediaeval handwritten documents, carved ivory, Art Nouveau ensembles and Bauhaus design are just some of the gems in the applied art collection. Further highlights are the richly decorated historical staterooms from the time of the Oldenburg Grand Dukes, a collection of Old Masters and works of court painter Johann Heinrich Wilhelm Tischbein, who painted his Idyll Cycle for Oldenburg.

The Prinzenpalais on the street 'Damm' houses the New Masters gallery. The Classicist building was erected between 1821 and 1826 by Carl Slevogt as an imposing residence for the grandsons of the Duke of Oldenburg, Peter Friedrich Ludwig. However, the orphaned Russian princes Alexander and Peter only lived in the palace for three years. Since 2003, the Prinzenpalais has served as a gallery for art of the 19th and 20th centuries, beginning with the Romantic and Classicist periods. Particular focuses of the collection are works by German Impressionists such as Lovis Corinth, Max Liebermann and Max Slevogt as well as the Expressionists of the Brücke movement Erich Heckel, Karl Schmidt-Rottluff, Ernst Ludwig Kircher and Emil Nolde. Another major feature is a large collection of the works of the painter Franz Radziwill, who lived and worked in nearby Dangast. Post-war German art is represented for instance by Art Informel works as well as works by the artists of the Leipziger Schule.