4502

Royal city and historic center of Berlin

The copperplate engraver and publisher Johann Daniel Schleuen was active during the reign of King Frederick II between 1740 and 1771. His sons also worked with him during that period. He produced numerous city plans, pictures of events and city views. Schleuen drew and engraved a set of pictures that presented views of royal buildings in large format —so‑called prospects — on more than sixty individual sheets. To this day, several of the sites that he chose for his observations are defining for the visual presentation of Berlin’s urban space.

Nowadays, the former area of the royal city is Berlin’s historic centre. After the separation of the city until its reunification, it was in the eastern part of Berlin. Even if the GDR only kept very few remains of the historic buildings, the Socialist message was always: Modern East Berlin is conscious of its historic identity. Artists like Manfred Butzmann accentuated this official view in their own way. They contrasted the representative centre of the GDR with raw, unadorned everyday life.

Historic Berlin-Mitte

1 No title

Christine Donath (*1945)

Radierung, 1988

Donation: Dr. Fedor Ernst 2013

2 Friedhof Linienstraße (Linienstraße cemetery)

From the series: Berlin Alexanderplatz nach Döblin (Berlin Alexanderplatz according to Döblin)

Antje Fretwurst-Colberg (*1940)

Aquatinta, 1979

Donation: Dr. Fedor Ernst 2013

3 Ohne Titel (No title)

Walter Denecke (1906–1975)

Etching, no year

Donation: Dr. Fedor Ernst 2013

4 Unter den Linden (boulevard)

Günter Blendinger (*1945)

Drypoint, 1984

Donation: Dr. Fedor Ernst 2013

5 Baustelle Staatsratsgebäude (Building site GDR State Council Building)

Max Uhlig (*1937)

Lithograph, 1963

Acquired 1993

6 Neue Wache Berlin (memorial site)

H. Henschel

Screenprint, 1973

Donation: Dr. Fedor Ernst 2013

7 Trümmer der Reichskanzlei (Ruins of the Reich Chancellery)

U. Diehl

1967

Donation: Dr. Fedor Ernst 2013

8 Berliner Türme (Berlin towers)

Manfred Butzmann (*1942)

Trichromatic offset lithograph, 1983

Acquired 1993

Royal city

Prospect des Königl. Schlosses zu Berlin, wie dasselbe gegen den Parade-Platz und der Schloss-Freyheit sich praesentiret (Prospect of the royal palace in Berlin as it presents itself with the parade grounds and the square Schloss-Freyheit)

Johann Wilhelm Schleuen (1748–1812)

Copper engraving, um 1770

Acquired from the art trade 2018

Prospect des Königlichen Invaliden Hauses zu Berlin (Prospect of the royal house in Berlin for soldiers disabled in the war or veterans)

Johann David Schleuen (1711–1771)

Copper engraving, um 1740

Acquired from the art trade 2018

Prospect des Königl. Lust Schlosses Monbijoux zu Berlin (Prospect of the royal summer residence Monbijoux Palace in Berlin)

Johann David Schleuen (1711–1771)

Copper engraving, around 1750

Acquired from the art trade 2018

Prospect des Königlichen Opern-Hauses zu Berlin (Prospect of the royal opera house in Berlin)

Johann David Schleuen (1711–1771)

Copper engraving, around 1750

Acquired from the art trade 2018

Prospect der sehr prächtigen neuen Schloss- und Dom-Kirche zu Berlin, welche seine Königl. May. auf den so genannten Parade Platz erbauen lassen (Prospect of the very magnificent new palace church and cathedral in Berlin, commissioned by His Royal Majesty on the so-called parade grounds)

Johann David Schleuen (17a11–1771)

Copper engraving, around 1750

Acquired from the art trade 2018