Museum of Fine Arts, Strasbourg

The Museum of Fine Arts of Strasbourg (Musée des Beaux-Arts de Strasbourg) holds a significant collection of paintings by renowned artists from the past. The museum is located on the first and second floors of the opulent Rohan Palace, which boasts a Baroque architectural style, and it has been situated there since 1898.

Within the museum, you'll find an array of artworks created by artists who lived between the 14th century and 1871, with a focus on those from the Upper Rhine region. Additionally, the museum showcases works by Upper Rhenish artists from the years 1681 to 1871. The collection has a notable emphasis on paintings from Italy, as well as from Flanders and the Netherlands. Among the featured artists are notable figures like Hans Memling, Correggio, Anthony van Dyck, Giotto, Pieter de Hooch, Botticelli, Jacob Jordaens, and Tintoretto, among others.

The inception of the Fine Arts Museum took place in 1880. Wilhelm Bode, who served as the head curator of the Berlin Museums, was tasked with rebuilding the collections that were lost when the "Aubette" was destroyed by fire in 1870. Prior to 1914, the museum exhibited a preference for Italian, Flemish, and Dutch paintings over French and German ones. Over time, the collections expanded, particularly after 1919, under the leadership of H. Haug and those who succeeded him. During this expansion, there was a noticeable increase in the number of French works included.

Presently, the museum places a primary focus on acquiring French paintings from the 17th and 18th centuries. In addition to its extensive painting collection, the Museum of Fine Arts of Strasbourg possesses a valuable assortment of sculptures, mainly consisting of busts, primarily originating from Italy and France.