September 21, 2025

Gustav Klimt, the MAK and Schloss Immendorf: Burnt, Destroyed, Vanished? — MAK Vienna (2025)

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About Exhibition “Gustav Klimt, the MAK and Schloss Immendorf: Burnt, Destroyed, Vanished?”

On 8 May 1945, a fire destroyed Schloss Immendorf in Lower Austria along with major cultural holdings, including Gustav Klimt works stored there during the war. To mark 80 years since the loss, the MAK — Museum of Applied Arts, in collaboration with the Klimt Foundation, presents an exhibition that reconstructs events, objects, and debates around what was burnt, destroyed, vanished.

The show brings together original plans and a new architectural model of Schloss Immendorf, documentary interviews with eyewitnesses, and archival materials (recovery lists, institutional records). High-quality historical reproductions from Klimt portfolios (1908–1931) visualize several lost works. Rather than proposing a final theory about the fire, the narrative presents sources and uncertainties clearly.

The MAK’s wartime salvage to Immendorf was initiated by director Richard Ernst from 1939 and enabled by owner Rudolf Freudenthal in 1942. In November–December 1943, the museum deposited the Laxenburg Room, objects from the Asia Collection, early modern arts and crafts, over fifty pieces of furniture, leather wallpapers, twelve carpets, and the 15th‑century Möchling Tomb (a wooden shrine in the form of a Gothic church). The documentary is directed by Peter Weinhäupl (Klimt Foundation, Vienna) and Stefan Kutzenberger, and archival sources include recovery lists and documents from the MAK, the Austrian Federal Monuments Office, the Künstlerhaus Vienna Archive, and the Lower Austrian Provincial Library.

Exhibition Details

  • Event name: Gustav Klimt, the MAK and Schloss Immendorf: Burnt, Destroyed, Vanished?
  • Type: Exhibition
  • Dates: 16 July 2025 – 21 September 2025 (Europe/Vienna)
  • Venue: MAK – Museum of Applied Arts, Stubenring 5, 1010 Vienna, Austria
  • Official site: mak.at
  • Google Maps: MAK – Museum of Applied Arts
  • Coordinates (WGS84): 48.2076, 16.3810
  • Opening hours (Europe/Vienna): Tue–Sun 10:00–18:00; Thu 10:00–21:00; Mon closed (as of September 2025)
  • Tickets/Entry: Included with MAK museum ticket; see official site for current prices (as of September 2025)
  • Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible; lifts; accessible restrooms (as of September 2025)

Exhibition Location

Useful Information

  • Address: Stubenring 5, 1010 Vienna, Austria
  • Exhibition focus: Archival reconstruction of the 1945 Schloss Immendorf loss; Klimt works and MAK holdings
  • Organizers: MAK — Museum of Applied Arts (Vienna) with the Klimt Foundation
  • Transport: Stubentor (U3); trams 2, 71; bus 3A
  • Website: MAK Official Website
  • Tip: Allow extra time for the documentary and archive materials.
  • Accommodation nearby: Booking.com

Discounts to Secessions: Klimt, Stuck, Liebermann

Highlights from the Exhibition

  • Architectural model: Newly commissioned model of Schloss Immendorf reconstructs the site
  • Klimt reconstructions: Large-format historical reproductions of the lost Faculty Paintings visualize what vanished in 1945.
  • Documentary film: Eyewitness-based documentary directed by Peter Weinhäupl (Klimt Foundation, Vienna) and Stefan Kutzenberger.
  • Archival sources: Recovery lists and documents from the MAK, Austrian Federal Monuments Office, Künstlerhaus Vienna Archive, and Lower Austrian Provincial Library.

Exhibition Gallery

"Gustav Klimt, the MAK and Schloss Immendorf: Burnt, Destroyed, Vanished?" exhibition in MAK — Museum of Applied Arts facade on Stubenring, Vienna 2 "Gustav Klimt, the MA"Gustav Klimt, the MAK and Schloss Immendorf: Burnt, Destroyed, Vanished?" exhibition in MAK — Museum of Applied Arts facade on Stubenring, Vienna 2K and Schloss Immendorf: Burnt, Destroyed, Vanished?" exhibition in MAK — Museum of Applied Arts facade on Stubenring, Vienna 3

Frequently Asked Questions

What is “Gustav Klimt, the MAK and Schloss Immendorf: Burnt, Destroyed, Vanished?” about?

It examines the 1945 destruction of Schloss Immendorf and lost works, presenting sources, models, and archival evidence.

Where is “Gustav Klimt, the MAK and Schloss Immendorf: Burnt, Destroyed, Vanished?” held?

At the MAK — Museum of Applied Arts, Stubenring 5, 1010 Vienna.

When does “Gustav Klimt, the MAK and Schloss Immendorf: Burnt, Destroyed, Vanished?” run?

From 16 July 2025 to 21 September 2025.

Are there original Klimt paintings on view at “Gustav Klimt, the MAK and Schloss Immendorf: Burnt, Destroyed, Vanished?”

No; the show includes historical reproductions, documents, and a new model, not the lost originals.

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