Art

Portigon art saved

The tug-of-war treasures to the culture is terminated, The Land of NRW bought nearly 300 works of art from the WestLB successor to Portigon. Including paintings by August Macke and Günther Uecker, as well as a Stradivarius violin.

Medieval altarpieces from the Portigon art collection, now in the possession of North Rhine-Westphalia

EUR 30 million cost of the treasures of the culture, including medieval altarpieces, modern art and a five million Euro estimated Stradivari. The violin known as “Lady Inchiquin” is now to be the star violinist Frank Peter Zimmermann returns, the had played for ten years on her. All other works of art will go to a country of their own Foundation and will be distributed to the museums in the Federal state of NRW.

Had begun the battle for the painting at the end of 2014, as the country had its own Casino operator West game two silk-screen prints by Andy Warhol in a New York auction, and thus 120 million euros generated. Then, as the Portigon AG announced that with their art verwerken to the process, there arose a nationwide Protest. Opponents feared to lose all of the paintings by selling abroad, Museum Directors spoke of a “cultural-political Declaration of bankruptcy”.

“Works are protected”

NRW Finance Minister Norbert Walter-Borjans, and Minister of culture Christina Kampmann were relieved

“Now the works of the country are secured, and the retreat is not compromised,” said NRW Finance Minister Norber Walter-Borjans, at the conclusion of the months long negotiations. Diplomatic words are selected, Portigon CEO Peter Stemper: “All Parties have needed time to understand the interests of your counterpart.”

Now the works of art to be distributed within the next ten weeks on the North Rhine-Westphalian museums, which Portigon AG will be promptly handled. During this art collection was saved, has already been auctioned, one more: The WDR (West German broadcasting), the public broadcaster in North Rhine-Westphalia, was sold recently for almost three million euros and more than 20 works, including Max Beckmann and Ernst Ludwig Kirchner. WDR Director Tom Buhrow had justified the sale with the difficult budget situation.

nw/suc (dpa, state government of NRW)