In spring 2025, the Kunsthistorisches Museum presents an extraordinary exhibition featuring master-pieces by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, Giuseppe Arcimboldo, Jacopo and Leandro Bassano, as well as other outstanding artists of the 16th century. The exhibition focuses on the interplay between humanity, nature, and time – an enduring theme that remains as relevant today as it was in the past.
How did people in the Renaissance navigate a changing world? How did they experience the passage of the seasons, the rhythm of nature, and the order of time? The exhibition Arcimboldo – Bassano – Bruegel. Nature’s Time vividly illustrates how these questions preoccupied the artists of the era – and how they found expression in fascinating depictions of cyclical time, natural observations, and symbolic allegories.
With over 140 carefully selected works – including loans from international museums and Viennese collections – the exhibition offers a unique insight into the artistic and scientific culture of the Renaissance. It combines art historical perspectives with a deeper exploration of the original function and significance of the works – an exciting journey of discovery into the art and worldview of the era.
With contributions from collections such as
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
- The Royal Collection Trust, London
- Bibliotheca Apostolica Vaticana, Città del Vaticano
- Gallerie degli Uffizi, Florenz
- Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
- National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
- Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz, Berlin
- Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden
- Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlungen, München
- Szépművészeti Múzeum, Budapest
