The museum
With the "Le Petit Salon - Winterhalter in Menzenschwand" the lifework of the painter brothers Franz Xaver and Hermann Winterhalter, who were born in Menzenschwand, is appreciated. In his day Franz Xaver Winterhalter was the most famous, most loved and best payed princes' painter. He was a welcome guest at each European court and documented the European aristocracy as a whole. The work of the two brothers is to be regarded and preserved as a pan-European, valuable cultural heritage.
The name “Le Petit Salon – Winterhalter in Menzenschwand” is intended to commemorate Franz Xaver Winterhalter’s first great artistic breakthrough at the “Salon de Paris” of 1837 at which he was awarded a “First Class Medal”.
The “Petit Salon” provides a stimulus for environmentally sensitive tourism and the preservation of our rural heritage and is a special attraction in the German and European museum landscape as no other establishment in Europe is devoted to these two artist brothers, who, throughout their lives, were intimately associated.
The “Petit Salon” stands in immediate proximity to the house in which the brothers were born as well as to their sister Theresia’s house, and is thus ideally situated.
The occasion of its opening was the 200th. anniversary of the birth of Hermann Winterhalter on 23rd. September, 2008. The establishment has been furnished in late Biedermeier style and exhibits original lithographs, letters which the brothers wrote to their father in Menzenschwand, drawings, sketches and much more. The Spartan, penurious origins of the boys (the father was a resin gatherer) are touched upon. In spite of their extraordinarily successful careers, Franz Xaver and Hermann Winterhalter retained their close bonds of affection for the little township of Menzenschwand and bestowed a great deal of support and help on the community.
Souvenirs with copies of Winterhalter paintings, postcards and photograph albums are on sale.
The Museum is particularly suitable for families, wheelchair users, groups and seniors. The museum is open on the following days: Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday and on public holidays from 14.30 bis 17.00 clock clock. Admission is € 2 for adults, children pay no admission.