The Masterpiece – Matthias Schaller

29.11.2024–04.05.2025 at Schaezlerpalais

Painting palettes have been used by artists to mix colors for centuries. In 2007, photographer Matthias Schaller discovered the painting palette as a photographic object during a visit to the studio of American artist Cy Twombly (1928-2011): “It immediately struck me that it reflected the artist's work.” He then began systematically researching and photographing the palettes of well-known painters. He already has over 200 photographs of the palettes of 86 artists from all over Europe and beyond in his archive, representing around 300 years of the history of Western painting.

Under the title “The Masterpiece”, 24 large-format photographs of painting palettes by renowned artists such as Picasso, Turner, van Gogh and Frida Kahlo will be presented at the Schaezlerpalais.

The exhibition “The Masterpiece” is accompanied by a monograph of the same name with a text by Basel art historian Gottfried Boehm, which was designed and produced as an artist's book by Matthias Schaller.

We cordially invite you to the opening on Thursday, November 28, 2024, at 6 pm.