Stuttgart State Gallery

Stuttgart State Gallery

The Stuttgart State Gallery is one of Germany’s most important art collections, opened in 1843. In 1984, the new State Gallery, designed by British postmodernist master architect James Sterling, was inaugurated, elevating it from a former regional gallery to one of Europe’s top museums.

The New State Gallery is the most iconic building in Stuttgart, located on a slope at the edge of the city center. Built next to the old museum, which was constructed in 1838, it was completed in 1983. The New State Gallery is considered James Sterling’s most significant work, earning him the highest honor in architecture—the Pritzker Prize—in 1981. The building’s details reflect traces of Sterling’s high-tech style from the 1950s and 60s, while the collision of diverse elements and the coexistence of mixed symbols embody the postmodern pursuit of contradiction and complexity.

The Old State Gallery exhibits works from the 14th to the 19th century, along with an extensive collection of drawings, watercolors, abstract collages, prints, illustrated books, posters, and photographs. The collection highlights paintings by Jörg Ratgeb, Canaletto, Memling, and Rembrandt.

The New State Gallery houses masterpieces of 20th-century art. Its international reputation stems from its inclusive approach, featuring significant movements such as Fauvism, Die Brücke, Der Blaue Reiter, Cubism, as well as outstanding works by individualistic artists unaffiliated with any movement, including Picasso, Beckmann, Schlemmer, Beuys, and Kiefer.

Staatsgalerie Stuttgart

Must-visit reason: One of Germany’s most important art collections

Continent: Europe【Europe】

Country/Region: Germany[Germany]

Province/State: Baden-Württemberg [Baden-Württemberg]

City: Stuttgart [Stuttgart]