12.11.2025 – 08.02.2026

Black-and-white photographs by Richard Berndt in the Glyptothek

When juxtaposing ancient originals with works of contemporary art, we have repeatedly shown black-and-white photographs in the museums at the Königsplatz in the past. While these have always been works by established photographic artists such as Floris Neusüss, Ingrid von Kruse and Stefano Castellani, the photographs for the exhibition "Greek Temples" were taken by Richard Berndt, an ambitious amateur. Our guiding principle in selecting artists has always been their work fitting with our museums in terms of content, form and aesthetics, instead of choosing well-known names. It is also important to us that an engagement with ancient heritage, ideally with our collections and their listed buildings, is visible.

Ancient Greek architecture continues to have an impact today. Nowhere is this more evident than at Munich's Königsplatz with its classical buildings. Greek temples – although, or perhaps because, they often stand before us as ruins – are among the most impressive images that visitors take home with them from trips to ancient Greek sites. The simplified pictogram of a Greek temple façade is therefore used in maps, travel guides and websites as a symbol for ancient sites (and sometimes also museums).

Art museums such as the Glyptothek and the State Collections of Classical Antiquities are, at their best, schools of seeing. Visitors should take their time to look closely at the works. They can delight in the masterful work of the sculptor, potter, painter, etc. and discover what was important to them, what interested them. Information provided to viewers by museum curators in various forms can be helpful for understanding. However, it is not essential. The focus should be on one's own, entirely subjective approach.

Richard Berndt's large-format images therefore require no explanation. Because they remain fragmentary, they draw the viewer's attention to details of Greek temple architecture. The brochure produced for the exhibition provides those who are particularly interested with additional background information on the respective buildings. Many visitors to the Glyptothek will have seen at least some of these temples before. But very few will have seen them as Richard Berndt did with his camera. So even on your hundredth visit to the Glyptothek, when looking at a sculpture you think you know so well, you can still discover something new in his pictures. This exhibition is intended to inspire you to do just that.

• Category Title