Christoph Müller Foundation gives away over 1,500 works of art to museums

An unusual campaign aims to bring more than 1,500 works of art to the public. The collection of the late patron Christoph Müller will be given away to museums - they can apply for works until the end of the year, as the responsible foundation announced. The weekly newspaper “Die Zeit” had previously reported.

Each of the works of art “can be given as a gift - at least if you represent a public museum,” says the Christoph Müller Foundation website, where the works are listed individually.

For example, woodcuts by Hans Baldung from the 16th century, paintings by painters such as Charles-François Daubigny, Carl Blechen and Andreas Achenbach, a chalk drawing by Heinrich Zille or abstract works by Edmund Kesting are being given away.

Great passion for art

The art collector and former publisher of the “Schwäbisches Tagblatt” died two years ago at the age of 86. He was also the newspaper's editor-in-chief from 1969 to 2004. After selling his shares in the publishing house, Müller lived in Berlin and devoted himself to art.

Significant parts of his collection had already been given away in previous years. Several hundred works went to Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, including a collection of Danish paintings to Greifswald. The Berlin Kupferstichkabinett also received around 200 works.

Now more works are being given away in an unusual way. Museums can apply online for works that fit well into their collection. If there are several interested parties, a jury should decide.

Teaching museums have already registered, said the foundation's executive board, Joachim von Zepelin. Even if the works are physically divided, Müller's entire collection should still be able to be explored online in a digital museum.