Chemnitzer Museen Museums of Chemnitz - Page Pro Media GmbH

Insights into the work
of contemporary and
modern artists
The Municipal Art Collections of Chemnitz
rank among the 20 cultural lighthouses in
the new German states. The collection of
paintings represents German art from romanticism
to contemporary art with excellent
works. The beginning is marked by
famous paintings by Caspar David Friedrich
and Carus. Top works by painters
such as Oehme, Dahl, von Rayski, Trübner,
Uhde and Liebermann represent the
19th century. The Norwegian painter Edvard
Munch plays a very special role in
the Municipal Art Collections.
Carlfriedrich Claus: Entzündung,
Zeichnung über Lithografie, Pinsel, Feder, Tusche, Finger,
Ölpastellkreide grün, weiß, hell- und dunkelrot und grau
Carlfriedrich Claus: Entzündung,
Drawing over lithography, brush, quill, ink, finger, oilbased
pastel green, white, light and dark red and grey
K unstsammlungen Chemnitz
The Municipal Art Collections
Edvard Munch (1863 - 1944): Käte und Hugo Perls, 1913, Öl auf Leinwand
Edvard Munch (1863 - 1944): Käte und Hugo Perls, 1913, oil on canvas
He maintained a strong relationship with
the city since he painted the children of
the industrial magnate H. E. Esche in
1905. In 1999, the Municipal Art Collections
of Chemnitz reactivated the big retrospective
of his works from 1929. In
the meantime, an important Munch painting
could be purchased.
German expressionism is excellently represented
with almost 300 works by the
painter Karl Schmidt-Rottluff, member of
the expressionist circle “Die Brücke”. The
collection of paintings is supplemented
with sculptures by Degas, Rodin, Barlach,
Lehmbruck, Maillol, Scheibe, Cragg and
many other artists. Thanks to the support
of several foundations, the monumental
sculpture “Mondrians Schwester” by Georg
Baselitz could be acquired.
The Graphic Cabinet counts 23,000
works and provides an overview of the
history of art between the 15th and 20th
century. Moreover, the Municipal Art Collections
of Chemnitz hold or exhibit the
largest collection of lithographs by Ho-
noré Daumier outside of France. Since
1999, the extensive heritage of Carlfriedrich
Claus can be admired in the museum.
In 2002, Hartmut Koch from
Chemnitz donated the entire graphic
Œuvre of Wolfgang Mattheuer to the art
collections.
The collection of textiles and artistic fabrics
with its 15,000 textile objects provides
a complete overview of the textiles
designed by famous international artists
in the major textile centres in Britain,
France, Austria and Germany between
1850 and 1945. A special attraction are
the 400 Coptic fabrics dating back to the
4th till 8th centuries as well as 6,000
stockings from 1896 till 1910. The collection
is completed by art nouveau wallpapers
and vases, furniture designed by
Henry van de Velde as well as 3,000 posters
mainly from the period before 1914.
Furthermore, the museum owns an art library,
which is unique to South West Saxony,
with 60,000 volumes as well as an
artists’ and photo archive.
Museums of Chemnitz
7