Museum Barberini presents Impressionists

Dressed in the historic robes of a Roman palace, the new Museum Barberini is located in the heart of Potsdam, situated just outside of Berlin. The reconstructed building doesn't just fill a hole on Potsdam's old market square, it also serves to enrich the museum landscape in the Berlin region at large.

The opening of Museum Barberini was celebrated with pominent visitors including German Chancellor Angela Merkel und Microsoft founder Bill Gates.

SAP co-founder SAP Hasso Plattner is one of the wealthiest people in Germany. He is a patron of the sciences and the arts. Plattner says he wants others to be able to enjoy his art collection - one that is worth millions.

"Der Jahrhundertschritt" - or, "the step of a century" - is the title of the statue that graces the courtyard in Museum Barberini. It is the work of the late sculptor Wolfgang Mattheuer, who hailed from the former East Germany (GDR). Hasso Plattner's collection features works from the former GDR as well as Impressionist and Classical Modern paintings.

Hasso Plattner, who was born in Berlin, is respected as a generous supporter of the sciences and arts. Potsdam has named him an honorary citizen.

Claude Monet didn't only paint water lilies, but also a series of haystacks. This painting from the series was created in 1891 and is among the Impressionist works featured at Museum Barberini's opening exhibition.

Claude Monet also painted Les Petites Dalles on multiple occasions - the dramatic cliffs on the coast of Normandy. This work from 1884 depicts the steep cliff at low tide. The play of light on the water and rocks made Les Petites Dalles an ideal motif for the Impressionists.

This work, "Frost in Giverny," is a 1885 work by Claude Monet. The master of light is the star of the Museum Barberini's opening show. Like many other Impressionists, he aimed to relish the moment and capture it on canvas.

Art historian Ortrud Westheider was the director of the Bucerius Kunstform in Hamburg before she took over the Museum Barberini in April 2016. How will the new museum establish itself on the international art scene? The opening exhibition sets the bar high.