The Bode Museum in Berlin has become a surprising draw after displaying an official portrait of Angela Merkel. Visitor Heidi Brandt called her "fantastic," and daily museum attendance has risen by 80% since the exhibit opened, prompting officials to extend it through year‑end. The portrait shows Merkel in a bright blue blazer, stiffly posed, with two file folders and a silver cube inscribed "In serenity lies strength."
Germans are experiencing a peculiar nostalgia for Angela Merkel amid political upheaval. Polls show a preference for her stewardship over current chancellor Friedrich Merz, whose approval rating stands at 11% compared with Angela Merkel’s post‑tenure rating of nearly 75%. The far‑right Af D has surged, winning an eastern state election and fueling speculation about government stability.
The artwork, painted by relatively unknown Jérémie Queyras, has split critics. Some praise its "monumental presence" and honesty, while others call it "almost devoid of style." The art magazine Monopol described it as embodying "Merkelcore," a celebration of low‑conflict German mediocrity, echoing the split reactions she often avoided as chancellor.
Young and old visitors, such as 17‑year‑old Fanny Widmann from Stuttgart, see the portrait as a symbol of stability and better times. "I think she is increasingly becoming a sort of myth, a symbol of stability," Widmann said. The exhibit underscores a broader yearning for reliability in a period when Germany’s political center feels strained.
Source: New York Times Top Stories · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing