Insel Hombroich

Last week, before I went to Paris, Lindsey and Berend took me to Germany for the day to the best art museum I have ever seen. Called Insel Hombroich, it was built on a piece of land between three motorways quite close to Dusseldorf. The land is park, meadows and terraces and is mostly wild with pools and trees, and winding paths. There are NO signs anywhere, it is like wandering in a DOCless wilderness. Every now and then you come across a large brick building with wide open doors and a pure white interior full of paintings and sculpture.
There are no signs on the works either, no guards, no barriers. It is like lying in a warm bath and soaking up the works without any interruption - an amazing experience.
When you feel like moving on you go back into the wilderness and drift along the path until you discover a new building. One of the buildings has lunch laid out (the price is included in the ticket) and you can help yourself and eat it outside under shady trees. The buildings have all been designed by architect and sculptor Erwin Heerich and the landscape created by Bernhard Korte. I was so impressed by the restraint - how tempting to label a Rembrandt or Cezanne - but there are really no signs at all. And the work is mixed - 20th century artists with Khmer sculptures and Ming pottery.

And thanks for my first experience of travelling at 170 kph, Berend! (no speed limit on the autobahn).