Paradise—a place of longing that has inspired the human imagination for centuries. Representing both an earthly and a heavenly garden, as well as the original harmony between humans and nature, it became a projection space for religious, philosophical and artistic ideas.
About the Exhibition
At the centre of the exhibition is one of the most famous and, at the same time, most enigmatic paintings in the Städel Museum: “The Little Garden of Paradise” (ca. 1410–20). The panel—barely larger than an open book—astonishes with its wealth of detail. The Virgin Mary is seated amidst courtly society, while the enclosed garden can be understood as both a religious symbol and a setting for worldly love. The work is particularly notable for its remarkable closeness to nature. The exhibition places this groundbreaking connection between art and the perception of nature at its core and situates “The Little Garden of Paradise” firmly within the historical and artistic context of Europe around 1400—a time marked by upheaval, conflict and intellectual exchange.
Follower of Robert Campin
Madonna and Child with Saints in the Enclosed Garden, ca. 1440/1460
Robert Campin and workshop
Saint Veronica, ca. 1428–1430
Around eighty outstanding loans from international museums, including the National Gallery in Washington, D.C., the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza in Madrid, the Louvre in Paris and the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, bring this development to life. In addition to paintings by Jan van Eyck, the “Master of Flémalle”, and Pisanello, the exhibition features sculptures and drawings, among other works. The presentation is complemented by an immersive installation by the Berlin-based artist and stage designer Philipp Fürhofer, which reinterprets the sensual dimension of “The Little Garden of Paradise” and creates a walk-in “Garden of Paradise.”
Curator
Prof. Dr Jochen Sander (Deputy Director and Head of the Collection of Dutch, Flemish and German painting before 1800, Städel Museum)
Project Manager
Dr Corinna Gannon (Assistant Curator, Dutch, Flemish and German painting before 1800, Städel Museum)
Sponsors
Sponsored by
Städelscher Museums-Verein e.V.
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