The Albertinum of the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden (Dresden State Art Collections) presents The Great Drama: Auguste Rodin and the Battle over Modernism (31 October 2026 – 22 August 2027), bringing its collection of works by Auguste Rodin and French and Belgian sculpture from around 1900 back into the public eye for the first time in decades. Unparalleled in Germany, the collection comprises some 70 sculptures, including works of monumental proportions, which enter into dialogue with 24 paintings, as well as photographs, medals, plaques and historical documents. Many of these works have not been on public display since 1939. The exhibition reveals how Dresden’s collection became one of the most innovative and significant collections of European modern art – and how fiercely this new art was contested.
At the heart of the exhibition lies the story of an extraordinary collection and the man who established it. Georg Treu (1843–1921), the visionary director of the Albertinum’s Sculpture Collection, sought to demonstrate “what is being achieved in the art of sculpture throughout the world in our time.” From 1894 onwards, he established direct contact with artists and began systematically acquiring contemporary works, setting his museum on a …
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Image above: Auguste Rodin, The Thinker, 1881–83 © Albertinum | Sculpture Collection from 1800, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden. Photo: Werner Lieberknecht
