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Better Times?
Waldmüller and Biedermeier Vienna
Biedermeier – the much quoted and oft discussed word of our age: have idyllic, middle-class mores taken hold within our society? What, in fact, is Biedermeier? Does the contemplation of this era mean looking back on Better Times? This special exhibition in the Upper Belvedere tells of the period of the Metternich restoration, the empowerment of the middle class and its simultaneous retreat from the sphere of political responsibility into the private sphere.
Curated by Rolf H. Johannsen.
Upper Belvedere
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Prinz Eugen-Straße 27, 1030 Vienna
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The Habsburg Monarchy in the first half of the nineteenth century: the French Revolution and Napoleon have shaken it to its foundations – it endeavors to regain its old strength by means of repression. Meanwhile, the middle class is attaining a new, hitherto unknown self-awareness. The focus is on the family, the proverbial sort of domestic happiness. At the same time, its protagonists withdraw from political life.
This was the starting point for a new style: the Viennese Biedermeier. The ostensible idyll of the private was turned into the prevailing ideal. Depictions of domestic life increasingly found their way into art. Salon culture was booming. Family portraits, glimpses into tranquil domesticity, and floral pictures became popular in the visual arts during this time. The local landscape as a point of identification also became a fashionable motif.
Nevertheless, art was not entirely uncritical during this period: representations of supposedly contemplative or touching scenes reveal the complete opposite upon closer inspection. Poverty and social exclusion are the “hidden” themes in Biedermeier painting.
With this exhibition, curator Rolf H. Johannsen addresses the fact and fiction behind an influential epoch for Vienna and the history of its art.
With works by Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller, Friedrich von Amerling, Rosalia Amon, Josef Danhauser, Thomas Ender, Peter Fendi, Pauline Koudelka-Schmerling, Carl Schindler, Franz Steinfeld, Adalbert Stifter, and others.
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Video
Smartify
Explore the exhibition with Smartify
Unleash the stories behind the works with our Smartify app. Immerse yourself in the world of Biedermeier and enjoy the free audio tour directly on your smartphone.
Here's how it works:
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Go to Apple or Android webstores to download the app for free.
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Open the app and hold your smartphone camera up to the artworks to ‘scan’ them.
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Download the audio tour directly to your smartphone by using the in-app purchase function.
Have fun!
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