When MoMA seems too crowded and the Met seems too vast, museum lovers can seek refuge in the less well-known but equally impressive Neue Gallerie in New York, a museum for early twentieth-century German and Austrian art.
The museum's name, meaning "new gallery," has its roots in various European institutions, commercial galleries and artists' associations that sought to capture the innovative artistic spirit at the turn of the century.
Every room in the museum retains the feel of a nineteenth century European estate, with dark oak paneling, marble pillars and fireplaces. The hushed, peaceful atmosphere makes a visitor feel like he has traveled back in time.
Though the gallery usually displays a permanent collection, the whole museum is currently housing a special exhibit of the works of Egon Schiele, one of the most innovative and influential Austrian artists of the twentieth century. Though he died at age 28, Schiele produced hundreds of paintings and drawings, 150 of which are now displayed at the Neue Galerie.
Schiele's works are bold and haunting, especially his later drawings, which mostly consist of portraits of people he knew and self-portraits. His human portrayals are especially riveting because of the depiction of his subjects' eyes, which capture the viewer's attention with their fiery intensity. The stark realism of these drawings was somewhat unprecedented for his time, especially in his depictions of nudes.
All of Schiele's work on display came from the collections of Ronald S. Lauder and Serge Sabarsky, co-founders of the Neue Gallerie, who have amassed the most extensive compilation of works by Schiele in the United States. The exhibit covers the full span of Schiele's life — the second floor galleries contain some of his earliest works, several of his major paintings and historical materials related to his life. The third-floor galleries display Schiele's drawings after 1909, when he began to fully develop his own unique style.
The café on the ground floor also contributes to the historical ambiance. Its coffee bar resembles one in a classic Viennese café, and serves authentic Viennese coffee and pastries. A visit to the Neue Gallerie is not complete without a stop.
The Neue Gallerie is located at Fifth Avenue and 86th Street. The gallery is open Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Thursday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Friday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
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