The 10 Best Art Museums in Carinthia, Austrian Alps

Reviewed By periandro - Luxembourg City, Luxembourg

The Schatzkammer lies in one of the three storeys of the baroque provost inner courtyard building. It consists of a succession of rooms on the groundfloor of that building which is an ideal place to keep the array of sacred works there exhibited. Upon entering the yard one gets astounded at the sight of the beauty of the arcades with their gothic and baroque vaults. The first Museum room is lit up with a deadened light and consists in a gothic two-nave vaulted one. The darkness in that room is just offset by the daylight coming through the gothic stained glass windows which brings about a mystic incorporeal effect and no doubt contributes to the preservation of the valuable fabrics therein kept. The stated stained glass windows are really marvellous. Altogether that atmosphere makes sensitive people feel a spiritual delight. In this room the liturgical garments are safely kept in glass cupboards and the illumination referred to makes it possible to observe that solemn clothing with a sensitive artistic understanding. Among those garments there is a chasuble in which on a green background Christ is depicted on the cross with Longinus stabbing the former's right side with the spear. At the bottom Mary and John as well as other figures and the images of four bishops by each one of the cross's ends form a very well arranged ensemble. That chasuble is really outstanding. The room dedicated to the romanesque artworks is a barrel vault room, what keeps up with the typical round arch characteristic of the style concerned. In that room it's worth observing carefully two statues of the Virgin in the first glass cupboard. Likewise, in a stained glass window the image of Magdalena is represented. It dates back to the twelfth century, thus being one of the oldest romanesque glass paintings in Austria and also one of the most famous. Another outstanding jewel in that room is a crucifix also from the end of the twelfth century formerly being in the romanesque church of Höllein. It shows a fabulous well balanced structure owing to the well conceived body shape. In its smart lines one can recognise the utmost quality of the typical composition elements of the romanesque style. In the section dedicated to the gothic style art there are works regarding Christ's birth, the Virgin's life and the Passion of Christ. The series concerning Mary's life ranges from the Annonciation to Mary's death. Especially nice and graceful are the statues representing the Virgin with the Child. Six of them are exhibited at the gallery of gothic Virgins. Mary's life as a synopsis is presented in a picture conceived as a cloth like retable consisting of several scene units, from the Arnoldstein monastery and in a roughly pre-baroque style. It's a stunning composition which should certainly be observed for a long while. As far as the works referring to the Passion are concerned, a painting depicting the Crucifixion with a large crowd, dating back to the seventies of the fifteenth century is a precious picture likely to dazzle anyone interested in pictorial art. Likewise, a statue representing the man of Sorrows is very impressive. In it Christ appears with wounds all over his body. The renaissance section contains also some superb items. In Carinthia such a style prevailed during the largest part of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, time in which the protestant reformation took place. As an example of works appertaining to that period the Schatzkammer houses a reredos of an Evangelical Altar from Sternberg consisting in a wood board with printed paper stuck on it. It's a composition made up of five drawings, a central one, which is the largest, depicts the resurrection of Christ. As regards the two other ones, that on the left as one looks at it depicts Jesus's circumcision and baptism respectively and those on the right, Crist carrying the cross and the Crucifixion, respectively. It's altogether an interesting item. In the baroque section there is curiously enough a gothic statue of St. Hemma, originating from St. Walburger, which portrays the holy person concerned with nice garments in a very gaceful way. There is besides a relic monstrace in a glace cupboard in which the Hemma's umbrella shaped hat and her sandal like shoes are exhibited. It's a beautiful object whose observation is a very enriching experience. In any case, the statue gallery is the part of that section harbouring the most artistic items therein kept. Several statues of saints which stand in that gallery are wonderful, such as those of St. Francis, St. Margareta and St. Barbara. At the sight of such beautiful figures one may feel a deep emotion. From the foregoing it can be gathered that the Schatzkammer is an excellent museum whose visit is highly recommended. The different items which can be observed there used to make up the erstwhile Diocesan Museum in Klagenfurt. When I went to that city in 2018 it was one of the places whose visit interested me the most. I was very frustrated when I was told in Klagenfurt Cathedral that the Museum had moved to Gurk. Therefore, the main reason why I went to Gurk in 2019 was to visit the Museum. I could eventually do that and was very glad to have the enormous pleasure to contemplate all the marvels it houses. My expectations were therefore happily met.