Berlin

Berlin seems to have suffered from a kind of schizophrenia in the 20th century. The city entered the 1900s carrying on the tradition of scientific and philosophical distinction that had characterized the 19th, only to find itself early on in the throes of World War I. This was followed by a vibrant cultural life in the 1920s, juxtaposed with a crippling inflation and the rise of right-wing movements in the city and throughout the country. These movements established their power with the Nazi takeover of the government and the consequent extensive destruction of World War II. No sooner had that war ended than a new one, this time a “cold” war, set in, resulting in the division of the metropolis into a western, democratic half and an eastern, totalitarian one. Only with the fall of the notorious Berlin Wall in 1989 did the city return to a more “normal” condition. These political vicissitudes weren’t isolated, however. They brought with them both new and revived forms of cultural expression and a preservation of the great accomplishments of the past in numerous museums and galleries. We invite you to join us for a first-hand look at this flourishing and exciting city and the many artistic treasures it contains, all while you expand your own portfolio with new and inspired pieces.