Glyptothek permanent exhibition: Masterpieces of ancient sculpture
1. January 1830 – 31. December 2030
The Glyptothek owes the exceptional status of its exhibits to its founder and benefactor: Ludwig I (1786–1868), King of Bavaria from 1825 to 1848, wanted to acquire only high-quality antiquities for his museum. The fact that this actually succeeded was thanks to his Roman art agent Johann Martin von Wagner (1777–1858), who combined an unerring eye for antique art with a brilliant scientific talent and great business acumen. Between 1810 and 1820, a collection of first-class sculptures was created in a short period of time, which was then enhanced by subsequent acquisitions.
The chronological arc of the ancient originals spans from Archaic times (6th century BC) to the Greek Classical Period (5th/4th century BC) and Hellenism (3rd-1st century BC) to the Roman Imperial Period and Late Antiquity (1st–5th century AD). In addition to sculptures that were once used to decorate sanctuaries, public buildings and squares as well as funerary monuments, the Glyptothek’s marble sculptures also include numerous portraits of outstanding ancient poets, thinkers and rulers from Homer to Plato, from Alexander the Great to Augustus and Marcus Aurelius.
