Twelve major works from the King Baudouin Foundation enrich the collections of the Suermondt-Ludwig Museum
The Suermondt-Ludwig Museum, located in Aachen, is showcasing twelve major works on long-term loan from the King Baudouin Foundation. These remarkable 19th-century works enhance the presentation of the Düsseldorf School and introduce iconic figures of Dutch and Belgian landscape and genre painting. Starting on December 4, the exhibition will open to the general public, offering an immersion in the evolution of 19th-century European painting, while highlighting the close cultural connections between Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands.
This is the first time the King Baudouin Foundation has loaned so many works - twelve in total - on long-term loan to a foreign museum. The works come from the collection of collectors Hanns von der Ohe and Renate Luck. Comprising notable pieces by Dutch and Belgian artists, the collection illustrates the importance of landscape and genre painting during their era. It was recently donated to the King Baudouin Foundation to preserve these heritage works for future generations and make them accessible to the public.
A specially designed room on the second floor of the museum highlights the new collection, presented as a group illustrating the evolution of landscape painting in Northern and Central Europe. It also emphasises the proximity to the artistic scenes of neighbouring countries, exploring romantic and realistic trends that reflect a changing relationship with nature and society. The work of Wilhelm Lommens enriches the representation of the Düsseldorf School, marked by Johann Wilhelm Schirmer and the Achenbach brothers. Additionally, the inclusion of major artists such as Théophile de Bock and Paul J.C. Gabriel, emblematic figures of the Hague School, allows the museum to present key representatives of this movement for the first time. Influenced by the Barbizon School, the Hague School played a crucial role in the emergence of new artistic impulses, particularly in the development of post-impressionism and modernity.
Belgian artists such as Isidore Verheyden, François Antoine Bossuet, and Jean-Baptiste de Jonghe add an additional dimension to the collection, offering a vision of rural idyll and peasant life, depicted with a romantic sensitivity that provided an escape from the urbanisation and industrialisation of their time. Close to the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Brussels, these artists maintained exchanges with leading painters from other European artistic centres, thus introducing new accents into landscape and genre realism.
This cross-border presentation is also enriched by new works from representatives of the Munich School, including Walther Firle and his master Alois Gabl. These long-term loans illustrate the importance of artistic exchanges between neighbouring countries. The museum thus offers a historical perspective, strengthening its cultural ties with Belgium and the Netherlands, and attracting a diverse and cross-border audience.
Till-Holger Borchert, Director of the Suermondt-Ludwig Museum: “We have a responsibility to strengthen the cultural ties between three countries that, in the 19th century, were essential drivers of modernity. This collaboration enriches our collection and enhances the cultural experience for our visitors.”
Mélanie Coisne, Head of Heritage and Culture Programme at the King Baudouin Foundation: “We are thrilled to see these works exhibited in Aachen, in a museum that so well expresses the cultural connection between our neighbouring countries. With this long-term loan, we aim not only to preserve artistic heritage but also to open new dialogues between art and the public. We hope these works will inspire and invite visitors to discover other places of art and culture.”
A Commitment to Heritage Preservation
For over 35 years, the King Baudouin Foundation has been at the forefront of preserving Belgium’s artistic and cultural heritage. Thanks to the generosity of many patrons and philanthropic Funds, the Foundation has assembled a collection of over 27,000 works of art and 27 archives, entrusted to almost 100 museums and institutions.
More information
- Photos of works on long-term loan from the King Baudouin Foundation to the Suermondt-Ludwig Museum
- Suermondt-Ludwig Museum
Press contact
King Baudouin Foundation
Thierry Van Noppen
vannoppen.t@kbs-frb.be
0479 31 85 56
Suermondt-Ludwig Museum
info@suermondt-ludwig-museum.de
+49 241 47980-40