Wallraf-Richartz Mu­seum & Fond­a­tion Cor­boud in Co­logne

The large ex­hib­i­tion presents European art span­ning a total of 700 years. In three them­at­ic sec­tions, vis­it­ors can fa­mil­i­ar­ise them­selves with works dat­ing from the Me­di­ev­al and Baroque peri­ods in art, as well as Im­pres­sion­ism and Mod­ern­ism. Mas­ters such as Rem­brandt, Rubens, Van Gogh, Dürer and Lieber­mann are rep­res­en­ted.

A collector from the 18th century, who rescued the medieval art from being destroyed. A comprehensive collection that passed into the ownership of the city of Cologne. The idea of making the collection and other masterpieces accessible to the public: The history of the Wallraf-Richartz Museum is long and eventful. It is defined by donations, expansions, reprieves and relocations.

Since 2001, the now three-part exhibition has found its home in a building built specifically for the collection in the historical city centre of Cologne according to designs by the architect Oswald Mathias Ungers. Over 3,500 square metres, visitors can find Medieval and Baroque paintings, Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art as well as Modern masterpieces. A graphics gallery with 75,000 sheets ranging from the Middle Ages to the 20th century amazes with its unimagined richness. It completes the impressive set.

Those interested in art and culture stand before alter paintings from churches, monasteries and trusts.  Stefan Lochner’s famous “Muttergottes in der Rosenlaube” (Madonna in the Rose Garden) is just one of many exhibits that require lengthier contemplation. Showpieces by masters such as Rembrandt or Rubens hang on the gallery walls. The pictures belonging to Fondation Corboud attract attention and include works by Monet and Renoir. Van Gogh, Cézanne and Munch are representative of artists who ushered in the Modern era.

The huge selection of graphic illustrations include drawings, etchings and watercolours by popular masters. Da Vinci, Dürer and Liebermann are no exception here. The city of Cologne is planning an expansion of the collection, which should be completed by 2023/2024. An additional 1,000 square metres of exhibition space and 500 square metres for ancillary space are to be built.