Portraits! Surprising Encounters from Botticelli to Lempicka

Sandro Botticelli and Tamara de Lempicka meet the eye with each other at the heart of the Gemäldegalerie. Through ninety masterpieces, this bold confrontation sweeps across five centuries of painting to question the construction of our image. Exit linear chronology: here, duos reign supreme. A portrait from Italian Renaissance painting dialogues with a work from the 1930s, revealing how a drapery, a ring, or even a simple glance has always translated desire, status, or intimacy. The Berlin institution draws on its prestigious reserves to confront Dürer with Giorgione or Sofonisba Anguissola with Eugen Spiro. In an age of ephemeral selfies, these striking face-to-face encounters remind us of the power of a composed face for eternity. Thematic pathways connecting fashion with master artists and a dedicated day for female artists enrich this unique visual experience.