Customer Reviews

Albertina: The History of the Collection and Its Masterpieces

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The book is well footnoted. The historical content is quickly to the point and foundationally points the reader to the essence of the museum, collecting master pieces. I visited the museum at the beckoning of a friend in 1969 and fell in love with the plates of Durer. They are presented to the visitor in a leather bound book and are place,at your request, on a table for your review. Some are these plates are exquisitely displayed in the book. It makes me want to return to enjoy Albertina once more.

The Albertina's massive collection of graphic art includes 65,000 drawings and over one million old master prints. The collection was initiated by Duke Albert of Saxe-Teschen (1738-1822) and passed into the public domain in 1919. Extensively damaged by bombing in 1945, the buildings have been reconstructed of late.

The first section of this book details the history of this august institution. Some of the information is quite detailed and would be of more interest to the specialist rather than the average reader. This is followed by 86 full page illustrations of drawings from the collection. There are 5 majestic watercolors by Durer (he produced only 35) as well as some superb drawings by the likes of Michelangelo, Raphael, Rubens, Carracci,Barocci and Poussin. The later works are by more modern artists and are of variable quality and interest.

The standard of the color reproductions are above average but not exceptional. This book would appeal to drawing completists rather than the average enthusiast. There are many more books on drawings that are superior in quality and coverage than the issue under discussion.

This book is a hidden treasure. I was not familiar with the Albertina or its collections before a friend of mine gave me this book, and the exploration of this gorgeous collection has been a treat. The prints selected for the book are of unrivalled quality, ranging from Durer to Picasso, this one volume covers the temporal and stylistic range of drawing and prints more intelligently than I've seen before. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes drawings and prints, or even anyone who likes art at all as a testament to the skill, ingenuity and imagination of mankind.