When is the exhibition DÜRER for Hessian Princes open?

The exhibition is on view from October 9, 2026 to January 17, 2027. Wilhelmshöhe Palace opens from Tuesday to Sunday from 10 AM to 5 PM. On the first and third Friday of the month, extended opening hours apply until 7 PM.

What is the cost of admission?

The day ticket for Wilhelmshöhe costs 12 Euros for adults and 9 Euros for concessions. Children and young people up to 18 years as well as other eligible groups receive free admission.

Which works are on display?

Around 130 works will be shown, including about 100 high-quality engravings, etchings, and woodcuts as well as drawings and paintings. Notable exhibits include Melencolia I, the Apocalypse, and the Rhinocerus.

Are there guided tours and educational offers?

Yes. Thematic guided tours, scientific lectures, training for teachers, demonstrations of copperplate engraving techniques, and practical workshops for younger visitors are planned.

Is Wilhelmshöhe Palace accessible?

The venue has barrier-free access, an elevator, barrier-free restrooms, and designated parking for people with disabilities. Assistance dogs are permitted.

What is the address of the exhibition?

The exhibition is located at Wilhelmshöhe Palace, Schloßpark 1, 34131 Kassel.

DÜRER for Hessian Princes

Name: DÜRER for Hessian Princes
Start: 2026-10-15T10:00:00+02:00
End: 2027-01-17T17:00:00+01:00
Location: Schloss Wilhelmshöhe

DÜRER for Hessian Princes: Masterpieces of the Renaissance at Wilhelmshöhe Palace

From October 9, 2026 to January 17, 2027, Wilhelmshöhe Palace in Kassel dedicates a comprehensive exhibition to Albrecht Dürer, showcasing princely collecting passion, art historical expertise, and the modernity of his visual language that continues to this day. Around 130 works from the former princely collections of Hesse-Kassel and Hesse-Darmstadt provide an impressive access to an artist whose technical brilliance set standards across Europe during his lifetime.

Dürer's Printmaking as a Media Revolution of the Renaissance

The focus of the exhibition is on printmaking. About 100 engravings, etchings, and woodcuts demonstrate Dürer's extraordinary mastery of line, space, and tonal value. Works such as Melencolia I, the Apocalypse, and the famous Rhinocerus visibly show how the artist transferred complex visual ideas with utmost precision into an internationally disseminated medium.

The exhibition does not only understand Dürer's art as a series of brilliant individual works. It also examines the cultural networks of artists, collectors, literati, and art dealers that carried his fame for centuries. Thus, a panorama of the Renaissance emerges, in which aesthetic innovation, economic interest, and princely representation are closely linked.

Between Original, Copy, and Forgery

A particular emphasis is placed on how Dürer's distinctive monogram and his visual ideas held their ground in the art market. The exhibition introduces the historical engagement with originals, imitations, and forgeries. It shows how difficult attribution was for earlier collectors and how modern art historical research investigates authenticity, provenance, and artistic authorship.

Dürer's influence on other artists is vividly illustrated. The motif of the Circumcision of Christ refers to an early conflict over the unauthorized use of a visual motif and the use of the famous monogram AD. Thus, the exhibition touches on a question that remains relevant today: Whose visual idea does it belong to when art is multiplied through printing and disseminated across Europe?

Work Observation in a Historical Exhibition Atmosphere

The presentation in the historical rooms of Wilhelmshöhe Palace creates a focused exhibition atmosphere. Soft lighting, fine line work, and the delicate materiality of the paper works draw attention to the smallest details. In the work observation, Dürer's technical finesse, the tension of his compositions, and the quiet intensity of his religious, mythological, and naturalistic visual worlds unfold.

A zoom station allows visitors to view selected works significantly enlarged. Visitors can recognize fine hatching, different states of prints, and deviations between original, copy, and forgery. This aesthetic experience thus combines with vivid cultural education.

Guided Tours, Lectures, and Educational Offers

Hessen Kassel Heritage aims the exhibition at a broad audience. Thematic guided tours, scientific lectures, training for teachers, and demonstrations of copperplate engraving techniques deepen the art historical context. Hands-on workshops invite younger visitors to try out printing techniques themselves and learn about Dürer's working methods from their own experience.

The exhibition is accessible with minimal barriers. An elevator, barrier-free restrooms, designated parking for people with disabilities, and the allowance of assistance dogs support a self-determined museum visit as much as possible.

Conclusion: Experience Dürer live between Art History and Sensory Experience

DÜRER for Hessian Princes connects masterpieces of the Renaissance with the history of princely collections and current questions of art science. Art enthusiasts will experience an exhibition that brings together technical brilliance, historical curiosity, and intensive work observation. A visit to Wilhelmshöhe Palace enriches cultural perception and makes Dürer's unbroken impact immediately tangible.