Neue Galerie New York

Description:

• This museum is dedicated to German and Austrian art and design, with a particular focus on the early 20th century. Displayed on two floors, the collection features painting, works on paper, decorative arts, and other media from such artists as Klimt, Kokoschka, Kandinsky, Klee, and leaders of the Wiener Werkstätte decorative arts and Bauhaus applied arts movements, such as Adolf Loos and Mies van der Rohe, respectively. The gallery made headlines in 2006 when it acquired Klimt's Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I -- dubbed the Golden Adele -- for a record-setting $135 million. The museum floated the idea of adding a high premium (up to $50) to view its new masterpiece, but the outcry caused the management to reconsider. You can see the Golden Adele for the $15 admission fee, without extra charge. In Fall 2008 through early 2009, you can see the work of Alfred Kubin, and Spring 2009 brings the exhibition "The Birth Of Expressionism: Brücke In Dresden And Berlin, 1905-13" through the end of June. Once occupied by Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt III, the impeccably restored, landmark-designated 1914 Carrère & Hastings building (they built the New York Public Library as well) is worth a look itself. Cafe Sabarsky is modeled on a Viennese cafe, so museumgoers in need of a snack break can expect a fine Linzer torte.

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