Some of the greatest examples of Old Testament scenes from the late Middle Ages and the Baroque period have been gathered from the outstanding holdings of the Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlungen (Bavarian State Painting Collections).
Albrecht Altdorfer, Hans Burgkmair, Lucas Cranach and Peter Paul Rubens, as well as Rembrandt, Claude Lorrain, Luca Giordano, all explored themes from the Old Testament. Their works depict the creation and fall of man, an angry and merciful God, the captivity and deliverance of Israel from the Egypt of the Pharaohs, disasters of unimaginable proportions and the destruction of entire civilizations. They portray heroes and heroines who bravely confront their enemies, and they celebrate the wisdom and foresight of the prophets. The stories of Moses, Noah, Abraham, Isaac and Ishmael as ancestors of Jews and Arabs, of Samson and Delilah, David, Solomon, Judith, Esther and Susanna come to life in the exhibition.
Important loans from museums and libraries complement the exhibition, which includes nearly 40 paintings. An investigative tour through the Alte Pinakothek (»clue searching«) also leads visitors to another ca. 40 representations in which these artists explore additional motifs of the Old Testament and Judaism.