Leuchtenberg Gallery, Art museum in Palais Leuchtenberg at Odeonsplatz, Munich, Germany.
The Leuchtenberg Gallery was the art collection of the Dukes of Leuchtenberg, shown in the Palais Leuchtenberg built by Leo von Klenze between 1817 and 1821 on Munich's Odeonsplatz. It held European paintings and sculptures, among them at least one Rubens bought by Eugène de Beauharnais in 1810 from the collection of Giovanni Francesco Arese. An illustrated English catalogue of 1852 lists the works.
The collection came through Joséphine de Beauharnais and was enlarged by Eugène de Beauharnais, who in 1810 bought part of Giovanni Francesco Arese's holdings, including a Rubens. It was largely complete by 1841 and open to the public from at least 1837 in the Palais Leuchtenberg, built by Leo von Klenze in 1817–1821. After Duke Maximilian died in 1852 the gallery closed, the collection was divided among his children and the palace sold to Prince Regent Luitpold.
The gallery's illustrated catalogue appeared in English in 1852, after French and German editions from 1825 and a new German version in 1841. This made the Munich collection known across Europe. Eugène de Beauharnais added to it in 1810 by buying part of Giovanni Francesco Arese's collection, which included at least one Rubens.
The gallery occupied the first floor of the Palais Leuchtenberg, built by Leo von Klenze between 1817 and 1821; the palace stands at Odeonsplatz. The collection itself is no longer there, so there is no gallery interior to visit. Look for the palace facade from the square and use the building as a landmark when crossing the old town.
After Duke Maximilian died in 1852, part of the collection went to Saint Petersburg in 1854 and was shown in the Mariinsky Palace, then lent to the Imperial Academy of Arts from 1870. The rest followed Eugen Maximilianovich to Saint Petersburg in 1863. After 1917 the works were dispersed; many reached the Hermitage and the Pushkin Museum, and Parmigianino's Circumcision of Jesus is now in the Detroit Institute of Arts.
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