Andy's Germany Adventure: Day 17 - Back to the Modern in Cologne and Düsseldorf

Wednesday 26 January 2011

Kamp-Lintford, North Rhine - Westphalia
3,820 km (2390 miles) travelled

After the old Germans - Riemenschneider and friends - yesterday, I went modern today: first to the Ludwig Museum in Cologne (Köln), then to the Kunstsammlung NRW (Art collection of the free state of North-Rhine-Westphalia, or NRW for short). In both galleries I was saying "wow" to myself every time I turned a corner into another space.

The Ludwig is right in the centre of Cologne behind the cathedral (Dom) and next to the main station (Hauptbahnhof). It is a great site (what was there before?). The Roman-Germanic museum and the Phiharmonic hall are also on the same block, with parking underneath.

The Ludwig is all 20th century to the current day. I was particularly interested in the German expressionists, of which they have many examples. They are also strong on the Russian Avant Garde and when I was there, there was a very interesting temporary exhibition of modern Australian aboriginal work.

Of course, you cannot be in Cologne and not see the cathedral (Dom). A gothic goliath started in 1278 but not finished until the 19th century, it's size it stunning and it contains some marvellous works of devotional art (but it was too dark to get good photographs).

After lunch, I popped up the motorway to Düsseldorf, Rhine harbour town, the state capital of NRW and home to the NRW art collection. Here too, one can see a terrific selection of expressionist work, cubist, minimalist and everything in between. They have a lot of Kandinsky and It was great to see Leger's Adam and Eve, which I have studied only in reproduction before.

I am staying in Kamp-Lintfort tonight and planning to visit Essen (again) and Dortmund tomorrow. Friday I return to the UK.