Vincent van Gogh
Pablo Picasso
Henri Matisse
Ernst Ludwig Kirchner
Wassily Kandinsky
Alexej von Jawlensky
The Merzbacher-Mayer Collection, almost 200 paintings and sculptures of the main trends in Classical Modernism
Kunsthaus Zurich is delighted to present the Merzbacher-Mayer Collection, one
of the most important private collections of Classical Modernism worldwide.
Comprising almost 200 paintings and sculptures, the collection includes key works
by leading exponents of the main trends in Classical Modernism: Vincent van Gogh,
Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Wassily Kandinsky, Alexej
von Jawlensky and many more. Since this collection was born of a preference for
strong tones and hues, visitors to the Kunsthaus can expect to be greeted by
a veritable feast of colors.
The 'liberation of color’ is often - and rightly so - seen as the most salient feature
of Modernism. And, as the 'path to abstraction’ was emerging, color was subject
to radical upheaval between Ce'zanne’s day and the First World War. Almost all the
artists represented in the collection participated in the steady liberation of color
from the pictorial motif and helped to open up the path to abstraction or even
travelled down it themselves. In view of the collectors’ love of color it is hardly
surprising that when it comes to art from the postwar period, they are especially
taken by the intense coloration in the works of artists such as Richard Paul Lohse,
Sam Francis and Ernst Wilhelm Nay.
Now visitors to Kunsthaus Zurich have a unique opportunity to partake of this
magical 'Feast of Color' and to explore a fascinating aspect of art history at the same
time as immersing themselves in an extraordinary private collection that reflects
the very personal preferences of the collectors. As Werner Merzbacher has said, when
he and his wife were selecting works they were always guided by their love and
enthusiasm for intense colors, for, 'the best collections come from within.’
For further press information and visual materials, please contact Kristin Steiner kristin.steiner@kunsthaus.ch Tel. +41 (0)44 2538413
Kunsthaus Zurich, Heimplatz 1, CH-8001 Zurich
Opening times
Tues-Thurs 10 a.m. - 9 p.m., Fri - Sun 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Closed on Mondays.
Public Holidays: Easter 13 - 17 April 2006, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., 24 April and 1 May 2006: closed.
Admission including audio guide: CHF 17.- / 11.- (concessions) / 13.- per head for groups of 20 or more.