The Wiener Moderne is the poster child for Viennese culture. But other eras brought forth powerful and influential art, as the Biedermeier exhibition at the Leopold Museum reveals.
- Art and artists c. 1815-1848
- Also their cultural context and role in art history
- Wider geographical remit than just Vienna
- Runs April 10 – July 27, 2025
- Book tickets* for the Leopold Museum
- See also:
The Rise of an Era
(Francesco Hayez, Portrait of the Singer Matilde Juva Branca, 1851; © Galleria d’Arte Moderna, Milan; photo: Comune di Milano – all rights reserved – Galleria d’Arte Moderna, Milan)
Look for exhibitions on the “Georgian” and “Victorian” era in Vienna and you’ll be as disappointed as a cavalry officer with an empty dance card. Largely because no rulers here bore the name George or Victoria.
But the Habsburg-run empire had its own cultural periods. And one of the more important ones was the Biedermeier, which ran from around 1815 to 1848…from the end of Napoleonic conflict to the year of revolution.
As the same-named exhibition at the Leopold Museum shows, the era proved important in art history.
As well as introducing us to works from that period, the Biedermeier exhibition demonstrates how this art was a child of the times.
(Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller, Restored to New Life, 1852; photo by and © LIECHTENSTEIN. The Princely Collections, Vaduz–Vienna)
The first half of the 19th century saw the growth of a well-to-do middle class, for example, so commissioned art and collecting art expanded well beyond the realms of the aristocracy.
Artists shifted to reflect the new circumstances. One such shift was simply to reduce canvas sizes to fit smaller walls.
The end of restrictions on movement imposed by Napoleonic conflict also opened up new possibilities for artists willing to travel.
Almost paradoxically, the wish to demonstrate position and achievement through a portrait, despite the lack of an estate or title, led to more realistic painting approaches. Artists gave due attention to the finery of clothes and other accoutrements of success.
(Angelo Inganni, View of the Piazza del Duomo with the Coperto dei Figini, 1838 © Milano, Palazzo Morando | Costume Moda Immagine; photo: Comune di Milano – Tutti i diritti riservati – Palazzo Morando | Costume Moda Immagine, Milano (in deposito dall’Archivio Storico Civico e Biblioteca Trivulziana, Milano)
This realism then seeped into other genres: realism in how something was painted but also realism in the choice of what to portray. This itself led to a degree of social commentary, despite a conservatism encouraged by a heavy-handed state machinery.
Such a controlling political environment would not inspire radical creativity. But the related retreat into home comforts also gave rise to, for example, a focus on simplicity, beauty and quality in furnishings that would later influence modernist designers.
The Leopold Museum’s exhibition enlightens us on such issues. However, it takes a less Vienna-centric approach than is usual with events around the Biedermeier. After all, the empire at times included such cities as Budapest, Venice, Prague, Milan, and Ljubljana.
The works on display illustrate the era’s characteristic trends and developments. Although paintings dominate, you also find furniture and clothes.
(Hubert Sattler, Cosmorama: The Colossi of Memnon in the Nile Valley (Egypt), 1846 © Salzburg Museum, photo: Salzburg Museum)
So enjoy portraits that double as high-end statements of fashion and status. But also portraits that carry the legacy of realism, such as the inevitability of old age.
And marvel at landscapes from across the empire and beyond, often reflecting the genuine beauty in the geographical jewels in the imperial crown. But also paintings with motifs inspired by urban expansion and even industrialisation.
A nice side-effect of the travel genre is seeing how notable locations of today, like Stephansplatz square or the Canal Grande in Venice, looked some 200 years ago.
(I particularly liked Hubert Sattler’s 1846 painting of the Colossi of Memnon, since it reminded me of the Argonath statues in Peter Jackson’s Fellowship of the Ring movie.)
Dates, tickets & tips
Immerse yourself in the first half of the 1800s from April 10th to July 27th, 2025. An entrance ticket for or from the Leopold Museum includes the exhibition.
(Booking service provided by Tiqets.com*, who I am an affiliate of)
I have a whole article introducing the Biedermeier, which also contains suggested museums and preserved buildings from that time, should you wish to learn more.
A small exhibition over at the Heidi Horten Collection also has images of Vienna from the era, notably juxtaposed with photos from today.
How to get to the 1800s
Find your way to the museum using the travel tips on the overview page, then drop down to level -2 when inside.
Address: Museumsplatz 1, 1070 Vienna