Collecting and researching: A closer look at the Augsburg Pictures of the Months

The blog series on the collection work of the Deutsches Historisches Museum (DHM) deals with core questions such as the decision for or against the acquisition of certain objects, the different ways in which they are found and acquired, the changing research questions posed by the objects in the collections, the provenance and origin of the objects, and many other aspects. An important part of collection work is the research of an object, which can be carried out, for example, based on new research of the object’s context, in the course of a restoration, or within the framework of a new exhibition project. Dr. Sabine Beneke, head of the art collection of the Deutsches Historisches Museum, undertook a detailed picture analysis of the painting cycle known as the “Augsburg Pictures (or Labours) of the Months” within the context of a recent restoration. She discovered new motifs and composition lines, which has led to a new overall interpretation of the painting cycle.