Artemisia Gentileschi Masterpiece Goes to Auction—Without Its Face

The Dorotheum auction house in Vienna is set to auction a rare, autograph replica of Artemisia Gentileschi’s 'St. Mary Magdalen' (c. 1620) that is missing its central focus: the saint's face. Discovered in a private German cellar in 2011 and likely mutilated during the looting of postwar Berlin, the fragment has been authenticated by experts Roberto Contini and Riccardo Lattuada. Despite the missing section, infrared analysis confirms Gentileschi’s hand, and the work is estimated to fetch between $120,000 and $170,000.

How Mumok’s New Director Plans to Make Museums Feel Alive Again

Fatima Hellberg, the newly appointed director of Vienna's mumok (Museum Moderner Kunst Stiftung Ludwig), has outlined her inaugural exhibition program and curatorial philosophy. Her first season, launching in June, will feature Kate Millett's newly acquired 1972 installation 'Terminal Piece,' an installation by scenographer Anna Viebrock, and a project by artist Tolia Astakhishvili.

The best fashion exhibitions to see for spring 2026

Major museums across Europe are launching a series of high-profile fashion retrospectives for the Spring 2026 season. Highlights include the first official exhibition dedicated to Helmut Lang at MAK Vienna, a comparative study of Azzedine Alaïa and Christian Dior in Paris, and a comprehensive Vivienne Westwood retrospective at The Bowes Museum. Additionally, the V&A in London is hosting the UK’s first-ever Schiaparelli exhibition, while Charleston explores the literary influence of the Hogarth Press through a collaboration with designer Kim Jones.

The Body as Scandal: A New Cinematic Journey into the Art of Egon Schiele (For 3 Days Only)

Il corpo come scandalo. Al cinema il nuovo viaggio nell’arte di Egon Schiele (ma solo per 3 giorni)

Nexo Studios is set to release a new documentary film titled 'Tabù. Egon Schiele' in Italian cinemas for a limited three-day engagement from April 20–22, 2026. Directed by Michele Mally, the film explores the provocative life and career of the Austrian Expressionist, tracing his journey from the town of Český Krumlov to the cultural hubs of Vienna and Prague. The narrative features insights from experts at the Albertina and Leopold Museums, alongside archival footage and a parallel analysis of Schiele’s contemporary, Franz Kafka.

Review | Raphael, a master of serenity, is the artist we need right now

Art critic Philip Kennicott reflects on the profound psychological impact of Raphael’s Renaissance masterpieces, specifically citing the 'Madonna of the Meadow' in Vienna and the 'Alba Madonna' in Washington, D.C. He describes how these works possess a unique ability to cure 'museum fatigue' and mental clutter, offering a sense of serenity and clarity that feels particularly necessary in the current cultural climate.

Gustave Courbet: realist and rebel

The Leopold Museum in Vienna, in collaboration with Museum Folkwang in Essen, is hosting a major retrospective titled "Gustave Courbet: Realist and Rebel." Featuring 130 exhibits, including 90 paintings and 20 graphic works, the exhibition traces the artist's journey from his early rejection of academic training to his role as the pioneer of Realism. The show highlights his revolutionary choice to depict everyday life and ordinary people on a monumental scale, a practice previously reserved for heroic or mythological subjects.

On Arte, the Fascinating Odyssey of a Lost Klimt Retraced in a Documentary

Sur Arte, la fascinante odyssée d’un Klimt disparu retracée dans un documentaire

A long-lost portrait by Gustav Klimt, depicting a young Black man, has been rediscovered and is the subject of a new documentary on Arte. The film, "Gustav Klimt and the Enigma of the Ghanaian Prince," details the painting's authentication and the investigation into the identity of its sitter, who was identified in 2024 as Prince William Nii Nortey Dowuona, a member of the Ga people who was in Vienna in the late 19th century.

"Suddenly it was a completely different world"

"Es war plötzlich eine ganz andere Welt"

Margot Pilz, a pioneer of the feminist avant-garde, is reviving her historic 1982 art intervention "Kaorle" for the Klima Biennale in Vienna. Originally conceived as Europe's first urban beach, the installation transformed Vienna's Karlsplatz by depositing tons of sand and installing a palm tree, deck chairs, and a synthetic whale in a pond to create a surreal coastal escape in the city center.

Dr Kurt A. Gitter, Japanese Art Collector, 89

Dr. Kurt A. Gitter, a pioneering retinal surgeon and world-renowned collector of Japanese art, has passed away at the age of 89 in New Orleans. Born in Vienna and having escaped the Holocaust as an infant, Gitter discovered his passion for Japanese culture while serving as a U.S. Air Force flight surgeon in the 1960s. Over several decades, he and his wife Alice Yelen Gitter amassed one of the most significant private collections of Edo-period paintings and self-taught American art in the Western world.

NEVERCREW Explores Our Tenuous Relationship with Nature in Huge Murals

The artist duo NEVERCREW, composed of Christian Rebecchi and Pablo Togni, has unveiled a series of large-scale murals across Europe that confront the deteriorating relationship between humanity and the natural world. Their recent works, including the mural "Souvenir" in Vienna and "Switch" in Wuppertal, utilize surrealist imagery—such as polar bears merged with plastic toy components or whales encased in architectural structures—to illustrate how nature is increasingly viewed as an artificial, distant object rather than an integrated system.

Tomas Joshua Leth at Croy Nielsen

Tomas Joshua Leth opened a solo exhibition titled 'Bismillah, slip skønheden fri' at the Croy Nielsen gallery in Vienna. The show ran from February 11 to April 4, 2026, and was documented with 32 installation images.

Andrew Christopher Green at Can

The exhibition "Nachsommer" by artist Andrew Christopher Green is currently on view at Can in Vienna. Running from March 6 through April 16, 2026, the presentation features a series of new works, including untitled pieces from 2026, and is documented through a selection of images and video available via the Contemporary Art Library.

Marianna Simnett “Circus” at Secession, Vienna

Marianna Simnett has opened a new multimedia exhibition titled "Circus" at the Secession in Vienna. The show features a combination of light, sound, and sculptural works that delve into her Yugoslav heritage, weaving together personal family history with folklore.

Big Crisis, Small Gestures

Große Krise, kleine Gesten

The article reviews the second edition of the Klima Biennale Wien, which opened in early April in Vienna. It notes that while the biennale aims to address the urgent triple crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution, its execution falls short. The exhibition features symbolic works such as a beached whale, a broken boat, and a compostable SUV sculpture, but these motifs feel repetitive and lack the necessary impact. The author contrasts these with historical precedents like Menashe Kadishman's 1978 Venice Biennale installation and Joseph Beuys' "7000 Eichen" (1982), arguing that the themes of nature and sustainability are not new, only the urgency has intensified.

Turkish artist Nilbar Gures brings defiance to 61st Venice Biennale

Turkish artist Nilbar Güneş will represent Türkiye at the 61st Venice Biennale (May 9–November 22, 2026) with her exhibition "A Kiss on the Eyes" in the Arsenale's Türkiye Pavilion. Güneş, born in Istanbul in 1977 and educated at Marmara University, the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, and the University of Applied Arts, works across photography, film, painting, performance, and mixed media. Her practice draws on personal biography to address societal issues, and she has shown internationally at venues including Osmos in New York and Vortic Art in London.

Reba Maybury “I Come in Peace” at Secession, Vienna

Reba Maybury presents her exhibition "I Come in Peace" at Secession in Vienna, an installation that spans four sites within the building—including the façade, foyer, and upstairs spaces. Maybury, an artist, writer, and political dominatrix, uses her multidisciplinary practice to explore themes of feminism, sexuality, labor, and power, directly engaging with the institution's history by questioning how to dominate the legacy of Gustav Klimt.

Reba Maybury at Secession

Reba Maybury presents her solo exhibition "I Come in Peace" at Secession in Vienna, running from March 6 to May 31, 2026. The show features a press release, floor plan, and venue website, documented through 10 images and photographs by Lisa Rastl, courtesy of Secession.

The Vienna Climate Biennale Contrasts Chaos with Hope

The Vienna Climate Biennale, an art festival addressing ecological, social, and political crises, has opened with a focus on sparking dialogue and encouraging audiences to envision a better future. The event contrasts themes of chaos with hope, using contemporary art to engage visitors in critical conversations about climate change and societal transformation.

8 exhibitions to see in Vienna for spring 2026

8 mostre da vedere a Vienna per la primavera 2026

Vienna's 2026 spring season features a diverse array of major exhibitions across its leading institutions. Highlights include a landmark survey of Canaletto and Bernardo Bellotto at the Kunsthistorisches Museum, featuring 32 high-quality paintings including international loans from the Wallace Collection and Berlin’s Gemäldegalerie. Other significant shows include "Animalia" at the Heidi Horten Collection, which explores the blurred lines between humans and animals through 90 works of art, and a major Gustave Courbet retrospective at the Leopold Museum.