Ludwig Collection
The LUDWIGGALERIE Schloss Oberhausen owes its name to the collector couple Peter and Irene Ludwig. They were already involved with the Ludwig Institute for Art of the GDR in Oberhausen in the 1980s. Since the 1990s, works of art from their collection have been brought together in Oberhausen under thematic focuses.
Peter and Irene Ludwig began collecting their first works while they were still studying in Mainz. Today, there are thousands of objects that make up the collection's uniquely broad profile. Individual works of the highest quality have been brought in, as have related groups of works. Across time and space, the collection includes artifacts from ancient Greece, the Middle Ages, the Baroque and Rococo periods, pre-Columbian art, art from Africa, China and India, and contemporary art, with American pop art and the works of Pablo Picasso as the brilliant high point. Faience, tiles, porcelain, Islamic ceramics, furniture and decorative arts are just as valued as the great works of painting and sculpture. The couple declares that they collect for the public.
short biographies
Peter Ludwig
Professor Dr. Dr. hc mult., born on July 9, 1925 in Koblenz as the son of Dr. jur. Fritz Ludwig and Helene Ludwig, née Klöckner, from the family of the Klöckner Group. Studied art history, archaeology, prehistory and early history and philosophy at the University of Mainz. 1950 dissertation on "Picasso's image of man as an expression of a generational attitude to life". 1951 Married Irene Monheim. Successful activity in the family business Monheim / Ludwig Schokolade. Member of numerous museum committees. International honors and awards. Peter Ludwig died in July 1996 in Aachen.
Irene Ludwig
Professor Dr. hc mult., born on June 17, 1927 in Aachen as the daughter of Olga Ella and Franz Monheim, owner of the traditional family business in Aachen. Studied art history, archaeology and prehistory and early history in Mainz. Member of numerous museum committees. International honors and awards. Irene Ludwig died in November 2010 in Aachen.
Both Irene and Peter Ludwig's interest in art and culture was awakened in their parents' home. As a joint effort, the couple has continuously built up their collection since they studied together.
