Sammlung Schack

Schack-Galerie; Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlungen

Schack’s collection was originally housed in his mansion in Brienner Strasse. It was opened to the public in 1865 and attracted a large number of visitors. The imposing building was dominated by a neo-Renaissance façade designed by Lorenz Gedon.

In 1876 Schack bequeathed his collection to the German emperor. Thus it became the property of Wilhelm II on Schack’s death in 1894. Wilhelm left the collection in Munich, and in 1909 erected the present gallery in Prinzregentenstrasse, together with a building next door for the Prussian embassy. The leading German sculptor of the day, Adolf von Hildebrand, produced the first designs for this architectural complex, which was built by Max Littmann.

The Schack-Galerie became part of the Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlungen (Bavarian State Picture Collections) in 1939. With the exception of three paintings burned in the fire that destroyed the Munich Glaspalast in 1931 and four further losses, the collection has remained unchanged since Schack’s death.