In celebration of the tercentenary of the birth of Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750), the Museum will present a small exhibition devoted to the composer and his times. A unique portrait from life, painted in 1748 by Elias Gottlieb Haussman, which has served as the basis for countless later images of Bach, will be the centerpiece of the exhibition. A group of rare musical manuscripts, including two cantatas, will be lent from the same private collection.

These loans will be supplemented by a variety of works from the permanent collection--paintings, drawings, sculpture, prints, and ceramics from German-speaking Europe at the time of Bach, illustrating the cultural context in which he created his splendid music. The range of objects included, from images of peasant life to elegant Meissen decorative figures, suggests Bach's extraordinary ability to incorporate simple folk tunes or the most complex and refined inventions into his compositions.