After a visit to the stunning skiing slopes in St. Anton and then the breathtaking Tiefenbach Glacier in the heart of the Alps, often ranked among the 10 most spectacular views in the world, one thinks one has seen the best that Tyrol, an Austrian state, has to offer. But there is more.
Tucked away in a corner of Innsbruck city, Tyrol’s capital, is the Tyrolean Volkskunst Museum aka Tyrol Folk Art Museum.
Personally, it seems to be on par with the famous ones at Vienna. But there are very few visitors compared to the crowd at Vienna’s museums.
This one is dedicated to the arts and crafts of the state. It has a large collection of household implements, furniture, carnival masks, porcelain decor items, woollen items, wooden artefacts, wedding accessories, wood-panelled rooms, paintings, religion-related displays and traditional dresses.
There are life-size figures and crafted miniatures. These miniatures recreate a village, fair or event - a slice of past life. Also, the displays cover different social segments.
The entrance has a large and scary figure of Lucifer, with bulging eyes and a large, red tongue hanging out, much like the Indian rakshasas (demons). From there steps lead to the museum, which is on two levels. There is no detailed brochure in English, but some boards with general explanations, besides captions for each display, help. Groups of miniature figures recreate the lifestyles of people centuries ago. These tableaux are finely detailed and varied. There are several cribs, which contain figures in clay, wax or paper and reveal the Tyrolean tradition of depicting nativity scenes.
There are many exhibits relating to birth, marriage, death and the rites of passage. One board outside this section states that the uncertainty of life in former times because of accidents, disease, sudden death and black magic “drew people to supernatural powers.”
Life-size figures in flowery headgear - some huge and elaborate - and in costumes for festivals or everyday wear are displayed in large glass cases.
There are rooms in the section, ‘Parlours.’ Carefully restored, these wood-panelled parlours, have the customary wood furniture from the Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and Rococo periods. The parlour was the centre of activity, according to the explanatory board, where people gathered to relax, converse and eat. It was also where visitors were received and after death, the body of a resident of that home was laid out. A wool carding machine, spinning wheel, woodwork tools, fancy locks, grinders, milk buckets, beautifully carved and painted wardrobes, storage chests and boxes are displayed in another section.
Also on view are a row of aesthetically hand-carved chairs. There are plenty of cooking implements. From artistically made wooden rolling pins to beautifully crafted baking copper moulds.
Antique paintings are also featured. One has a man with three faces, simply called ‘Head with Three Faces,’ while another depicts a towel-holder with a figure that is half-woman, half-skeleton.
Religious art includes depictions of Jesus Christ, Mary with the child Jesus, a statue of Saint Nicholas and the Assumption of Mary. There are holy water fonts alongside salt cellars.
A section is devoted to carnival masks of different shapes, sizes, colours and expressions. At one place you can stand before a TV-like screen, which captures your face and movements as in a video-film. Turn the knobs below and a series of masks appear in succession and cover your face.
Another attraction is its location. It is situated within the well-known Franciscan Monastery adjacent to the Court Church, or the ‘Schwarz Mander Kirche’ aka ‘Black Men Church’. The ‘Black Men’ is a reference to the famed 28 life-size, Renaissance bronze statues of important historical figures that are part of this memorial to Emperor Maxmilian I.
The statues have been made with much attention to detail. From the facial features to the folds of the clothes are perfectly recreated. They stand in a row, flanking the ornate but empty sarcophagus of Emperor Maximilian I.
The upper floor of the museum has a balcony which overlooks these figures. One enters the balcony through a door which opens automatically as one approaches it. Straight ahead, at eye-level, one sees a large, impressive church organ and with a separate ticket, one can also enter this church directly to see it at ground level.
