Between Capri and Rome at the Fürst Pückler Museum: Experience Art in Branitz

Italian Light Traces in Branitz: Discovering Hugo Paul Harrer anew

The special exhibition Between Capri and Rome. Hugo Paul Harrer at the Fürst Pückler Museum Park & Castle Branitz opens a finely curated view of a painter whose work unfolds between Rome, the Amalfi Coast, and the 19th-century German exhibition culture. The exhibition showcases a more comprehensive collection from the Carl-Blechen Collection of the city of Cottbus for the first time, including drawings, the portrait of Franziska, and a freshly restored Vesuvius. ([cottbus.de](https://cottbus.de/veranstaltungen/ausstellungseroeffnung-zwischen-capri-und-rom-hugo-paul-harrer/))

An Artistic Experience between Biography and Landscape

Harrer, born in 1836 and died in 1876, began studying architecture before turning to painting autodidactically and settling in Rome in 1861. Later, he deepened his training in the landscape class of O. Achenbach at the Düsseldorf Art Academy. His realistically conceived architectural and landscape paintings thrive on close-up sections, figures-rich compositions, and clear contrasts of light and shadow. ([stiftung-volmer.de](https://www.stiftung-volmer.de/artist/321))

Italy as an Imagery

Visitors to this exhibition encounter not only motifs but a whole experiential world: southern light, architectural backdrops, coastal landscapes, and the poetic condensation of travel impressions. Particularly convincing is how the presentation does not show Italy as merely a theme, but as an aesthetic experience intertwining memory, place, and painting. The works make visible how studies and sketches transformed into oil paintings for German art exhibitions. ([deutsche-biographie.de](https://www.deutsche-biographie.de/sfz26126.html?language=de&utm_source=openai))

Collection History with Museum Depth

The exhibition holds cultural-historical weight for Branitz as well: Franziska Wickerath, later the wife of Hugo Paul Harrer, lived later in Cottbus and bequeathed many works of her first husband to the city. This exhibition thus connects artistic production, private memory, and the history of collecting into a dense examination of works. In the context of the Branitz house, which is closely tied to the park, the castle, and the collection, this preview gains special radiance. ([cottbus.de](https://cottbus.de/veranstaltungen/ausstellungseroeffnung-zwischen-capri-und-rom-hugo-paul-harrer/))

The Venue: Branitz as a Complete Experience

The Fürst Pückler Museum Park & Castle Branitz is located at Robinienweg 5 in Cottbus and is known as a place of cultural education. The Branitz Park is regarded as an important work of landscape gardening, while the visitor center and the castle offer a multifaceted museum experience. According to Reiseland Brandenburg, the paths in the park are accessible barrier-free, except for a few exceptions. ([pueckler-museum.de](https://www.pueckler-museum.de/pl/park-palac/park-branitz/))

Visit, Guided Tour, Price

The admission for the exhibition opening on July 30, 2026, has been designated as free; for regular visits in the Branitz context, the museum's charge regulation states that the combo ticket costs 9 euros for adults and 7 euros for reduced admission. Therefore, the price for this special exhibition at the opening event is set at 0. ([cottbus.de](https://cottbus.de/veranstaltungen/ausstellungseroeffnung-zwischen-capri-und-rom-hugo-paul-harrer/))

Conclusion: Between Capri and Rome. Hugo Paul Harrer promises a quiet, substantial artistic experience that elegantly combines painting, travel imagery, and collection history. Anyone wanting to not only read art history but experience it in space should definitely visit this exhibition live in Branitz. ([cottbus-news.de](https://www.cottbus-news.de/veranstaltungen/ausstellungen/sonderausstellung-zwischen-capri-und-rom-hugo-paul-harrer-26082407111727?utm_source=openai))

Official Channels of Fürst Pückler Museum Park & Castle Branitz:

• Instagram: no official profile found
• Facebook: no official profile found
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• Website: https://www.pueckler-museum.de/

Sources:

• City of Cottbus - Exhibition Opening Between Capri and Rome
• Foundation Collection Volmer - Hugo Paul Harrer
• Foundation Fürst-Pückler-Museum - Park Branitz
• Foundation Fürst-Pückler-Museum - Fee and Usage Regulations
• Cottbus Tourism - Event Calendar
• Brandenburg Tourism - Fürst-Pückler Museum Park and Castle Branitz