Adventure BrazilJohann Moritz Rugenda's pictorial journey

08.11.2024-09.02.2025 at Grafisches Kabinett

The Augsburg artist Johann Moritz Rugendas (1802-1858) joined Georg Heinrich von Langsdorff's (1774-1852) expedition to Brazil as a draughtsman and painter in 1822 when he was barely twenty years old. He initially traveled the country for two years in the service of Langsdorff, but separated from him after a major dispute and continued to explore the country on his own, drawing and painting, until 1825. On his way home, he spent a few months in Paris and was able to inspire Alexander von Humboldt with his landscape paintings, portraits and milieu studies to such an extent that he encouraged and promoted the publication of the "Malerische Reise in Brasilien". On the return journey from his second trip to America in 1846, Rugendas, who had become famous in South America in the meantime, spent almost a year in Brazil with old friends and new acquaintances, painting and drawing. 

The exhibition shows almost 30 drawings, watercolors and oil paintings on Brazil from the holdings of the Augsburg Art Collections, some loans from private collections and the original of the "Malerische Reise in Brasilien" published in 1835. 

We cordially invite all interested parties to the opening on Thursday, November 7th, 2024 at 6 pm!