Naturhistorisches Museum Vienna

© WienTourismus / Mafalda Rakoš

Wilhelm Lubenik has worked at the Natural History Museum for many years. A native of Vienna, he’s been fascinated by the animal kingdom ever since he was a little boy: “Dinosaurs have had a special hold over me from an early age, and I’m a huge cat fan, too.” His favorite exhibit? “The black jaguar in Hall 38 is my absolute favorite. These big cats are beautiful creatures that radiate grace and incredible power. Jaguars can even bite through tortoise shells.” Lubenik’s fascination with jaguars runs so deep that he has one with him at all times: “I have a tattoo of a jaguar on my left upper arm.” His five-year-old daughter Sarah shares his love of cats: “We go to Schönbrunn Zoo regularly so that we can see the big cats for real. And her favorite plushy is a little jaguar she calls Jagi.” The taxidermy jaguar on show at the NHM also came from Schönbrunn Zoo, where it died of natural causes. 

Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna

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Originally from Italy, Nora Todaro Calloni has been working in visitor services at the KHM for a year and a half. She could scarcely be better suited for the role, having studied painting and art history at the Urbino Academy of Fine Arts in Italy. She came to Vienna to work on her master’s thesis and to get some professional experience under her belt: “Working at the KHM was a dream come true because it’s one of the most important and diverse art museums around.” Her favorite artwork? “Saint Mary Magdalene by Antiveduto della Grammatica because it says a great deal about the processes behind art history research.” Painted in 1615, the piece had long puzzled scholars, who initially attributed it to the female artist Artemisia Gentileschi. “But it turned out to be an art history error and a rare case where a work was mistakenly credited to a woman. Usually, it’s the other way around. That was something completely new to me.”

Wien Museum

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Daniel Enevoldsen from the Wien Museum is particularly fond of the sculpture "Witch Doing Her Toilette on Walpurgis Night" from 1895: “It wasn’t just the unusual depiction of the witch that people found provocative, but also the fact that it was created by a woman who had ventured into the male-dominated field of sculpture.” The unusual sculpture was created by Teresa Feodorovna Ries, who slipped into obscurity due to a highly male-centric view of art history. “It’s wonderful to see that this artwork is attracting a lot of interest again, especially among children, teenagers, and women in particular,” says Enevoldsen, who perfectly illustrates the international diversity of Vienna’s museums. He grew up in Denmark and Italy, and studied philosophy in Aarhus and musicology in Cremona and Vienna. “That’s why I particularly enjoy working in one of the Wien Museum’s composer residences, such as Franz Schubert’s and Joseph Haydn’s apartments.”

MAK – Museum of Applied Arts

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Zuzanna Dimagiba, who works in visitor services at the MAK – Museum of Applied Arts, has a favorite artwork that’s pretty hard to miss: an oversized sofa by the renowned Austrian artist collective Gelatin, which is on show right in the heart of the museum in its impressive columned hall. In fact, visitors are encouraged to try this unusual piece of furniture out for size: “Our visitors are naturally drawn to the sofa and just love it. And that creates a positive atmosphere which spreads throughout the museum and envelops me, too,” explains the native of Krakow, Poland, who has worked at the MAK for 13 years. And the sofa is much more than a piece of furniture to sit on. It serves as a homage to the famous Viennese artist Franz West (1947-2012), corresponding with West’s installation 12 Divans, also located in the Säulenhalle hall. But that’s not all: the artwork also references Sigmund Freud and psychoanalysis, which he pioneered in Vienna. 

Belvedere

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Mathias Beck has art in his veins: “My father is an antiques and art dealer, so I’ve been around museums and exhibitions since I was a child.” So it comes as no surprise to learn that Beck is currently studying art history in Vienna. From the northeastern Waldviertel region of Lower Austria, he has been working at the Belvedere for nearly three years. Beck: “I’m a big Klimt fan, but my favorite artwork at the Belvedere is actually Franz von Stuck’s Lost.” Why this particular piece from 1891? “Because I am a real fan of the Symbolism movement. And this painting is an outstanding example of the style.” Franz von Stuck’s work depicts a mythical creature, wandering lost through a snowy landscape. “It’s intriguing and raises lots of questions. I often find myself standing in front of this artwork. When you look at it, it just pulls you into this magical and mysterious world. That fascinates me.”

Albertina

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“My favorite object is The Avenger, a sculpture by the German artist Ernst Barlach,” says Dominik Messner, who keeps a watchful eye on the Albertina’s exhibition rooms. But what is it about this particular work? “It addresses a very topical theme, as Ernst Barlach experienced the horrors of the first world war and considered them from an artistic viewpoint. He reflected on the events very deeply.” Messner is especially taken by the emotional depth of the sculpture: “The way Barlach conveys suffering through his art is incomparable. This portrayal of the depths of human emotion moves me.” The Albertina staff member, who grew up in Carinthia, is also active as an artist himself, having studied painting and printmaking at the Vienna Art School. He regularly exhibits his work in the capital’s galleries. What does he appreciate about the Albertina? “The broad artistic spectrum, from modern art to the great masters like Michelangelo and Rubens. I love taking my time and looking at the artworks when the museum is closed.”

Text: Johannes Luxner