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The Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister in Kassel can be traced back to the collections of the landgraves of Hesse and houses today more than 1700 works. It offers an extensive tour through European art history from the Late Gothic to the dawn of Classicism.
Around 500 paintings are from Dutch and Flemish masters. Early Netherlandish art features masterpieces by Jacob Cornelisz van Oostsanen, Anthonis Mor and Maerten van Heemskerck. Van Heemskerck’s Family Portrait, one of the earliest profane depictions of a group in the history of art, is of exceptional significance and part of the CODART canon.
Important works by Peter Paul Rubens, Antony van Dyck and Jacob Jordaens are complemented by paintings from Teniers, Brueghel and many other Flemish painters. The group of works by Rembrandt and Frans Hals have always been the most admired works, featuring iconic paintings like the Man in a Slouch Hat painted by Hals with spontaneous brush strokes, and Rembrandt’s touching Jacob’s Blessing. The Portrait of Saskia van Uylenburgh is among his most beautiful depictions of his wife.
The Gallery is situated in Schloss Wilhelmshöhe in the center of the Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe, declared world cultural heritage in 2013. It is part of the Hessen Kassel Heritage, consisting of five museums, three palaces and three parks.
Justus Lange, chief curator (June 2020)
Known prior to mid-2008 as Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, Staatliche Museen, then the name was changed to Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, Museumslandschaft Hessen Kassel, which was in use until spring 2023.