One of the primary duties of Berlin’s Gemäldegalerie is to conduct scientific, object-based research into the contents of its vast collection, as well as to engage in and with the broader international scholarly discourse. As a result of countless, mostly interdisciplinary research projects, new insights have been gained into aspects of the collection, including the context in which specific paintings were created, their origin and what role they initially played, the artists to whom they were attributed, and their provenance.

In the Gemäldegalerie, extensive expertise in the field of art history and a sound knowledge of painting techniques are brought together in a complementary union. Research into the artworks held in the museum’s collection is conducted in a close collaboration between art historians and conservators on the basis of technical photographs and technical examinations of artworks, which are able to be conducted on site in the Gemäldegalerie’s state-of-the-art workshops.

In cooperation with other Berlin collections, as well as national and international museums and research institutions, the Gemäldegalerie conducts art-historical and art-technological research projects that in many cases extend far beyond the examination of the contents of its own collection and place its collection items in a broader context.

The results of the museum’s comprehensive research endeavours are made available to both an expert audience and the general public by way of exhibitions, catalogues, academic publications (both print and online), lectures and conferences. The Gemäldegalerie is also carrying out concurrent digitisation projects in order to make its research material more accessible and thereby contribute to a long-term, transparent and sustainable research practice.