Images & Texts

2 December 2026 – 28 February 2027

Exhibition Hall of the Department of Prints and Drawings

With an area of around two square metres, the skin is the largest organ of the human body. It covers and envelops the body, delimits and protects it, and enables us to feel. Experiences and sensations are inscribed on its surface. The skin shapes our identity and serves as a projection surface for those we encounter. The exhibition SurFace. On Skin focuses on the fascinating topic of human skin. Based on selected works from the Collection of Prints and Drawings, over sixty exhibits in different media and from various eras are presented, including drawings, paintings and sculptures, from the Old Masters to contemporary art. A multi-layered panorama thus unfolds, highlighting the reproduction of skin as one of the fundamental tasks of artistic practice. The skin is revealed as a mirror of beauty and vulnerability, of youth and age, and a conduit for emotions, touch and desire. The exhibition brings together works of lesser-known artists and artists of renown, including Hans Baldung Grien, Raphael, Titian, Peter Paul Rubens, Auguste Rodin and Robert Mapplethorpe. The juxtaposition of these works reveals the similarities and differences in their depictions of skin, highlighting the diversity of creative approaches. The variety of materials and techniques employed—from brush and paint to metalpoint, chalk and charcoal, as well as three-dimensional objects—enables a sensual experience of the surface of the human body.

Sponsored by: Städelscher Museums-Verein e. V.

Find the full press release here.

Press release

Städel and Fresenius extend their successful partnership

The Städel Museum and Fresenius are continuing their successful and trusting collaboration and extending their partnership for a further two years. In doing so, they are reaffirming their bond and their shared commitment to society. Since the partnership began in 2024, the Städel Museum and Fresenius have developed and implemented numerous joint event formats. As Germany’s oldest museum foundation, the Städel Museum is supported by companies, foundations, private patrons, the City of Frankfurt and the State of Hesse. It sees itself as a place for encounter, exchange and engagement with the past, present and future. For the healthcare company Fresenius, people’s well-being is the central focus. For more than 100 years, Fresenius has been committed to saving lives and improving quality of life and health. “Committed to Life” embodies the pledge to act responsibly, drive innovation and work today for a better tomorrow.

Philipp Demandt, Director of the Städel Museum, on the extension of the partnership with Fresenius: “Our valuable collaboration over the past two years has shown just how well the Städel Museum and Fresenius complement one another. We are therefore all the more delighted to extend our partnership for a further two years and to shape the future together. The visionary idea of our founder, Johann Friedrich Städel, of making art and education accessible to society established a philosophy that continues to guide us to this day. We share with Fresenius a commitment to social responsibility and to creating spaces for dialogue, interaction and new perspectives. We want to continue along this path together and provide fresh impetus for exchange and education.”

Michael Sen, CEO of Fresenius, on the partnership: “At Fresenius, ‘Committed to Life’ means going beyond our core business to improve people’s lives and take responsibility for the society we are part of. Art is an expression of a free and pluralistic society, while also serving as a catalyst for innovation and progress. It broadens our perspective and allows us to experience societal change in new ways. The past two years have shown just how much we can achieve together with the Städel Museum. Our partnership brings people together while reflecting our strong ties to the region where Fresenius has its roots. I am therefore very pleased that we are continuing our successful partnership with the Städel Museum.”

Find the full press release here.