From 1974–81 the Hamburger Kunsthalle put on a nine-part series of exhibitions that focused on how early 19th-century art responded to – and shaped – the ‘Age of Revolutions’. By focusing on artists who challenged existing painterly conventions, including Goya, William Blake, Turner and Caspar David Friedrich, the curators explored how art has engaged with, or avoided, tumultuous political realities. Since the question of how art might address social issues is no less relevant now than it was 50 – or indeed 200 – years ago, the Kunsthalle is restaging and updating this show, bringing the number of chapters up to 10 (until 29 March 2026). Through more than 50 paintings, books and works on paper from the Kunsthalle’s collection, together with loans and works by contemporary artists, the curators also shine a light on topics, such as feminism or Jewish culture, that were skated over in the 1970s.
Find out more from the Hamburger Kunsthalle’s website.
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