The latest exhibition in the Alte Pinakothek’s ‘All Eyes On’ series – tightly focused displays that put select paintings and sculptures in a wider art-historical contect – highlights not paintings themselves but their frames (29 July–11 January 2026). Old Master works that have retained their original frames are rare, and many frames from before the 19th century have been damaged beyond repair – during war, for example – or have been lost entirely. But, given that a good frame can change the way we read a picture, it’s no surprise that curators place a premium on framing. The centrepiece of this exhibition is Raphael’s Canigiani Holy Family (1505–06), which acquired a new tabernacle frame in 2013; the display makes clear precisely how paintings can benefit from their frames, which were added centuries after the works were originally created.
Find out more from the Alte Pinakothek’s website.
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