In 2020, the Dresden Kupferstich-Kabinett celebrates its 300th anniversary.Founded in 1720 by Augustus the Strong as a museum specializing in works onpaper, the collection – now with over half a million works, from the Middle Agesto the present day – has always acquired contemporary art alongside recognisedmasterpieces.The collection – which includes exceptional works by Jan van Eyck, Dürer, Verrocchio,Grünewald, Cranach, Holbein, Rembrandt, Caspar David Friedrich, Ludwig Richter,Toulouse Lautrec, Mondrian, Hermann Glöckner, Gerhard Altenbourg, A.R. Penck,Georg Baselitz and Evelyn Richter – began in the 18th century with drawings, miniaturesand prints, before photography was added in 1898 as the promising future means ofreproduction.The people in charge of the collection always had a keen eye for the art of theircontemporaries and often demonstrated particular foresight in their acquisitions.Many of the works that were contemporary and still unknown at the time of theiracquisition are now considered special treasures and rank equally with those that hadbeen added to the collection as masterpieces. Exemplary are freshly printed etchingsby Giovanni Battista Piranesi, which were little known at the time, and were bought inthe 18th century. And towards the end of the 19th century, the then director Max Lehrspromoted artists directly, such as Max Klinger and Käthe Kollwitz.Today, the Kupferstich-Kabinett occupies an outstanding international positionthanks to the high quality and abundance of works. However, the collection is oftenhidden from the public. Works on paper in particular require special protection and,due to their fragility and extreme sensitivity to light, they can only rarely leave thesafety of the depot. The anniversary gives reason to air many masterpieces of thecollection, and offers the opportunity to look into both the past and into the future,and to anchor the Kupferstich-Kabinett with its seemingly inexhaustible holdings as alively, innovative and democratic place in the public consciousness – as a place wherecreativity and knowledge, critical thinking and aesthetic pleasure can be experienced.The exhibition of 84 masterpieces, which opens in Dresden in June 2020, will thentravel to New York in October 2020, where they will be presented in the prominent,international context of The Morgan Library & Museum.