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Visiting the Getty Research Institute

Contact Information:
The Getty Research Institute
1200 Getty Center Drive
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Los Angeles, CA 90049-1688
Tel. (310) 440-7335
Getty Research Institute Gallery Hours:
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Saturday, 10:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m.
Sunday, 10:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
Closed Mondays and on January 1, July 4, Thanksgiving, and December 25
Research Library Hours:
Monday–Friday
9:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Closed Saturdays, Sundays, major U.S. holidays, November 25, December 26–December 30
Reference Desk: (310) 440-7390

Krahe's Failed Galeriewerk
 

The Düsseldorf gallery was established by the German prince Johan Wilhelm II von der Pfalz (1658–1716), who was the first to house an art collection in its own building.

In 1756, Lambert Krahe (1712–1790) became director of the Düsseldorf gallery. When the Seven Years' War (1756–1763) erupted, Krahe was forced to store the paintings. They were later reinstalled, affording him the opportunity to reconfigure the display.

Johann Wilhelm's nephew and successor, Carl Theodor (1724–1799), soon commissioned a Galeriewerk, a set of large-scale prints representing the Düsseldorf gallery's collection. Krahe decided to produce the set of large-scale prints for a Galeriewerk in emulation of the albums depicting paintings in royal collections. The preparatory materials needed to produce such an album are displayed here.

Preparatory drawings made for Krahe's Galeriewerk
Top left and right: Krahe's draftsmen created drawings after the painting St. John the Baptist in the Wilderness by Daniele da Volterra, which they believed to be by Raphael, ca. 1768–ca. 1775. Drawing at left by an anonymous artist, red chalk, graphite, pen and ink. Drawing at right by Georg Metellus, black chalk, graphite, pen and ink.

Bottom left: Georg Metellus' sketch after St. Roch and St. Magdalene Adoring the Infant Jesus by Jacopo Palma il vecchio, which they believed to be attributed to Paris Bordone, ca. 1768–ca. 1775; black chalk, graphite, pen and ink. 870670.13
 
Georg Metellus' highly finished drawing after the painting St. John the Baptist in the Wilderness by Daniele da Volterra
Georg Metellus' highly finished drawing after the painting St. John the Baptist in the Wilderness by Daniele da Volterra, which they believed to be attributed to Raphael; red chalk, graphite, pen and ink. Leather-bound book of drawings after paintings in the Düsseldorf gallery, ca. 1768–1775, fol. 87r. 870670.17

It was complex and costly to make drawn copies of paintings, which would then be transferred to copperplates and reproduced by the hundreds. Krahe's draftsmen made initial copies of paintings by means of squared drawings, as seen in the image of St. John the Baptist in the Wilderness above, which led to highly finished versions as seen in the example at right. However, the cost of the project depleted Krahe's finances and ended his plans to produce a Düsseldorf Galeriewerk.