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Article: Princely magnificence in Dresden: Philippa Glanville celebrates the newly reopened Historic Green Vaults in Dresden's Royal Palace, a spectacular restoration that has brought back to life one of the greatest artistic losses suffered in World War II.(MUSEUM OPENING OF THE YEAR)
- Article from:
- Apollo
- Article date:
- December 1, 2006
- Author:
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After more than a decade of focused, costly and highly specialised restoration, the Old or Historic Green Vaults of Saxony" reopened in the Royal Palace this autumn. For those unfamiliar with Dresden, for whom the city may have negative associations, such as the bombing raids in the 1940s and floods in 2002, the Green Vaults offer something very different: a rare and dazzling experience of baroque creativity.
The Green Vaults--Grunes Gewolbe--have been so-called since at least 1572, from the green paint of several rooms, although this is a misnomer, since the 10 mirrored interiors dazzle in red, stark white, ivory, marble, lacquer, oak and gilding, as well as ...