Marius Winzeler – författare

The time period from 57 to 7 was an epoch of large-scale wars. But during this time of crisis in East-Central Europe the arts were in no way silent. One important factor was the migration of artists within East-Central Europe as well as from the west and south of the continent to this region. The painters and sculptors who worked for the Bohemian, Moravian, or Polisch-Lithuanian nobility, the Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II, who wanted to obtain the best artists in Europe for his court in Prague, and, not least, the religious orders, which brought a new formal language to East-Central Europe in the course of the Counter-Reformation, contributed to multifaceted work during the long transition from the late Renaissance to the Baroque.

The permanent exhibition in the north wing of Dresden’s Royal Palace presents the surviving, magnificent vestments from the possessions of the Saxon electors, dating from around 1550 to 1650. This unique treasure trove of European fashion and textile history from the Renaissance and early Baroque has now been re-opened to the public after more than 80 years in storage and many years of conservation and restoration measures. This exhibition guide is the first work to do justice to a collection rich in silk, gold and silver. It covers all the rulers' robes on display, including complete costume ensembles, suits with doublet and trousers, ladies' dresses, and individual garments. There are also introductions to the many portraits, accessories and sumptuous armoury on display. Clothes make the man - clothes make politics: rulers' costumes and haute couture from the period 1550 to 1650

German editionSince the 16th century, Dresden’s Royal Palace has been a venue for glittering balls, masquerades, and rituals of political power. In the restored banquet halls, the Rüstkammer (Armoury) presents works of art belonging to the most precious relics of European festive culture. In the Großer Ballsaal (Great Ballroom), the sun mask of Augustus the Strong, silver armour, imaginative insignia, horses with sumptuous riding equipment, and a sleigh decorated with hundreds of bells are reminders of magnificent festive celebrations. Symbols of power take centre stage in the Propositionssaal (Proposition Hall): Insignia ranging from the electoral hat and coronation mantle to medals and busts of Saxon monarchs are on display in the place where Saxony’s first constitution was proclaimed in 1831. The collection, which has undergone extensive restoration in recent years, is being presented for the first time in this dedicated publication.Internationally unique testimony to festive culture and the representation of power from the 16th to the 19th centuryPermanent exhibition in the Armoury of Dresden’s Royal Palace, starting in March 2026: "Masks and Crowns – Festive Culture and Representation of Power"

English editionSince the 16th century, Dresden’s Royal Palace has been a venue for glittering balls, masquerades, and rituals of political power. In the restored banquet halls, the Rüstkammer (Armoury) presents works of art belonging to the most precious relics of European festive culture. In the Großer Ballsaal (Great Ballroom), the sun mask of Augustus the Strong, silver armour, imaginative insignia, horses with sumptuous riding equipment, and a sleigh decorated with hundreds of bells are reminders of magnificent festive celebrations. Symbols of power take centre stage in the Propositionssaal (Proposition Hall): Insignia ranging from the electoral hat and coronation mantle to medals and busts of Saxon monarchs are on display in the place where Saxony’s first constitution was proclaimed in 1831. The collection, which has undergone extensive restoration in recent years, is being presented for the first time in this dedicated publication.Internationally unique testimony to festive culture and the representation of power from the 16th to the 19th centuryPermanent exhibition in the Armoury of Dresden’s Royal Palace, starting in March 2026: "Masks and Crowns – Festive Culture and Representation of Power"

The " Rifle Gallery" in the " long corridor" of Dresden's Royal Palace presents around 5 unique handguns from the collections of the Saxon electors and kings. The magnificent rifles and pistols from the th to 9th centuries were used for hunting, target shooting and courtly representation. The new museum guide presents the history of the collection as well as the architecture and furnishings of the Lange Gang. With its ancestral gallery, the approximately -metre-long Renaissance building embodied the dynastic memorabilia of the ruling family and housed the elector's " personal rifle" from 733. A richly-illustrated selection of objects presents a journey through three centuries of European gunsmithing and decorative art the exhibits are elucidated in their complex cultural and historical contexts. Masterpieces of the gunsmith's art from one of the leading collections of royal weaponry in Europe Permanent exhibition of the Armory, in the Dresden Royal Palace, Dresden State Art Collections