Museum Age in Austria-Hungary: Art and Empire in the Long Nineteenth Century

This critical study of public art museums in Austria-Hungary explores their place in the wider history of European museums and collecting, their role as public institutions, and their involvement in the complex cultural politics of the Habsburg Empire. It traces the evolution of museum culture over the long nineteenth century, from the 1784 installation of imperial art collections in the Belvedere Palace to the dissolution of Austria-Hungary after the First World War. The authors reveal how the rise of museums and display was connected to growing tensions between Viennese authorities and national groups, and how museums reflected and enabled shifting forms of civic identity, professional practice, knowledge production, and the changing composition of the public sphere.

Format: Hardback
Length: 300 pages
Publication date: 15 February 2021
Publisher: Pennsylvania State University Press

This extensive and critical examination of the history of public art museums in Austria-Hungary delves into their position within the broader context of European museums and collecting, their role as public institutions, and their intricate involvement in the complex cultural politics of the Habsburg Empire. With a particular focus on institutions in Vienna, Krakow, Prague, Zagreb, and Budapest, The Museum Age in Austria-Hungary traces the evolution of museum culture over the long nineteenth century, from the establishment of imperial art collections in the Belvedere Palace in 1784 (as a gallery open to the public) to the dissolution of Austria-Hungary following the First World War. By drawing upon a wide range of source materials from across the empire, the authors unveil the interconnectedness of the rise of museums and display with escalating tensions between the endeavors of Viennese authorities to foster a cosmopolitan and multinational social, political, and cultural identity on the one hand, and the rights of national groups and cultures to self-expression on the other. Through their analysis, the authors demonstrate how museum collecting policies, display practices, and architectural designs engaged with these political agendas, while also reflecting and enabling shifting forms of civic identity, emerging professional practices, the production of knowledge, and the transformation of the public sphere.

Original in its approach and expansive in scope, this captivating study of the museum age in Austria-Hungary offers valuable insights to students and scholars engaged in the cultural and art history of Central Europe.

Weight: 764g
Dimension: 186 x 264 x 25 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780271087108