Historically charged contexts of a collection
Overview
Intro
The series of events sheds light on colonial entanglements and questions of provenance in the context of Oskar Reinhart's collection and the Volkart trading company.
The collector Oskar Reinhart was an outstanding connoisseur of art. However, the formation of his collection was embedded in economic, social and historical contexts that need to be critically reflected upon today. Particular attention is paid to the colonial entanglements surrounding the trading company Volkart & Cie, in which Reinhart was involved. In addition, questions are raised about the provenance of artworks, art trade practices and the handling of historically contaminated cultural assets in the 20th century - particularly in the context of Nazi persecution-related confiscation.
The series of events focuses on these different aspects and invites visitors to take a differentiated look at the history of the collection and its significance in the present day.
Trade structures and their social impact - using the example of the Volkart Brothers company
The series of events will be opened by Carine Bachmann, Director of the Federal Office of Culture. In the subsequent guest lecture, Prof. Dr. Christof Dejung will shed light on the global trading structures of the Volkart Brothers company and their social impact.
In a round table, Carine Bachmann, Christof Dejung and the artist and researcher Denise Bertschi will discuss economic networks, colonial entanglements and their repercussions up to the present day. The discussion will be moderated by Daniel Fanslau, who will structure the dialog as a mediator between different perspectives.
Christof Dejung is Professor of Modern General History at the University of Bern and has presented one of the first comprehensive analyses of global trade networks with his study on the Volkart trading company. Denise Bertschi's artistic and academic work deals intensively with the colonial history of Switzerland.
Afterwards there will be an opportunity for discussion with the audience.
Note: This text was translated by machine translation software and not by a human translator. It may contain translation errors.
| Provider | |
|---|---|
| Contact address |
Sammlung Oskar Reinhart "Am Römerholz"
Empfang/Besucherdienst 95 Haldenstrasse 8400 Winterthur 058 466 77 40 sorfuehrungen@bak.admin.ch |
| Event Homepage | https://www.roemerholz.ch/de/kalender-mai-bis-juni-2026 |
| Price |
Admission and participation in the event free of charge.
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The content presented here is provided and updated by regional/local tourist offices or event organisers, which is why Switzerland Tourism is unable to guarantee the correctness of the contents.
Event dates
- 03 June 2026
Discover the surroundings
Sammlung Oskar Reinhart «Am Römerholz»
Haldenstrasse 95
8400
Winterthur
Switzerland
Phone
+41 (0)58 466 77 40
Fax +41 (0)52 269 27 44
sor@bak.admin.ch
roemerholz.ch