Vienna 3: Kunsthistorisches Museum

One of the major reasons I wanted to go to Vienna was to visit the Kunsthistorisches [Art History] Museum. It is one of the best museums I ever had the pleasure of experiencing. Between it and the similar looking Natural History Museum is a garden with a monument to the 18th century Empress Maria Therese [see below]. She was the only female ruler in the Habsburg dynasty, and she was the mother of Marie Antoinette.



The entrance into the museum has two grand staircases adorned with paintings from Gustav Klimt.




  
We spent hours wandering through the many halls. But, the paintings of Pieter Bruegel were the main attraction for me [my favorite is below]. There are several different interpretations of the contents of The Peasant Wedding. I have a decidedly different view from the conventional explanation, which nearly got me into an altercation with another visitor who did not like my take on it. So, I will refrain from expounding on it here in the blog.