For the first time in its storied history, one of Germany’s most significant private art collections is stepping into the spotlight, offering Berliners and international visitors an unprecedented glimpse into a treasure trove built over four generations. The Scharf Collection, rooted in the early 20th-century passion of Otto Gerstenberg—a Berlin life insurance magnate—has quietly grown behind closed doors, its masterpieces rarely seen by more than a handful of privileged guests each year. Now, with the opening of a major exhibition at the Alte Nationalgalerie, this collection is finally taking center stage, showcasing a remarkable journey through the history of French art and beyond.
Spanning from the early 19th century to the vibrant present, the Scharf Collection is a veritable who’s who of French artistic genius. At its heart are works by Eugène Delacroix, Gustave Courbet, Honoré Daumier, Claude Monet, Auguste Renoir, Paul Cézanne, Edgar Degas, Pierre Bonnard, Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, and Fernand Léger—names that have shaped not just French, but global art history. The exhibition, which opened to the public on Friday, October 24, 2025, and will run until February 15, 2026, is a rare opportunity for art lovers to trace the evolution of style, subject, and vision across two centuries, all under one roof.
But the story of this collection is as intriguing as the works themselves. According to the Associated Press, Otto Gerstenberg began assembling his collection more than a century ago, driven by a discerning eye and deep appreciation for the avant-garde. Over the decades, as the collection passed to Gerstenberg’s descendants, it continued to grow, absorbing new artistic movements and expanding its scope. Today, it is in the hands of Gerstenberg’s great-grandson René Scharf and his wife Christiane, who have brought their own passion for contemporary art into the mix.
“We go from Goya to Grosse,” René Scharf remarked during the exhibition’s presentation, capturing the breadth of the collection in a single phrase. Indeed, visitors entering the Alte Nationalgalerie are greeted by early 19th-century plates from Spanish master Francisco de Goya—specifically his haunting series “The Disasters of War” and “La Tauromaquia.” These works, brimming with raw emotion and historical resonance, set the stage for a journey that winds through the romanticism of Delacroix, the realism of Courbet, and the biting caricature of Daumier, who is represented not only by drawings but also by a series of statues and busts lampooning French parliamentarians.
The exhibition’s curatorial arc leads seamlessly into the world of impressionism, with Monet serving as a central figure. One of his earlier realist paintings, “Farmyard in Chailly,” is displayed alongside later impressionist masterpieces such as “Steep Cliffs near Dieppe” and the luminous “Waterloo Bridge” series. These are complemented by works on paper and canvas from Renoir and Cézanne, and by Degas’s evocative nudes and dancers—each piece a window into the creative ferment of late 19th-century Paris.
As visitors progress through the gallery, they encounter two major works by Pierre Bonnard: the lively, bustling “Place Clichy” and the intimate “The Large Bathtub,” both of which offer glimpses into the artist’s personal life and his close friendship with Henri Matisse. Pieces by Matisse himself are displayed nearby, as the exhibition transitions toward the bold forms of cubism and the modern era, represented by Picasso, Léger, and others.
But the Scharf Collection is not just a parade of familiar names. It also offers surprises, such as a significant selection of works by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, amassed by Gerstenberg before his death in 1935. These include lithographs from the “Elles” series—intimate, unvarnished portrayals of sex workers in their daily lives—as well as iconic posters advertising the stars of Parisian concert cafés and variety theaters. The inclusion of these works provides a gritty, human counterpoint to the more polished images of bourgeois life elsewhere in the exhibition.
René and Christiane Scharf have also made a mark by extending the collection into contemporary territory. Modern abstract works by German artists Katharina Grosse and Anselm Reyle add a bold splash of color and form, while compositions by Americans Sam Francis and Jasper Johns introduce an international dimension. The exhibition culminates with Grosse’s shimmering pink and blue “No title,” which, as René Scharf hopes, invites visitors to draw connections between the experimental spirit of today and the impressionist innovations of a century ago. “I have a particular passion for impressionism, cubism, and contemporary art,” Scharf explained, expressing his hope that viewers will see the thread linking Monet’s “Waterloo Bridge” to Grosse’s contemporary vision.
The decision to finally bring the collection into public view was not made lightly. As René Scharf told the Associated Press, “We asked ourselves what happens if we do nothing? Then maybe 30, 40 or 50 people per year will see the collection and only a very small part of it, because we can’t hang everything at home.” Over the years, individual paintings have traveled to various exhibitions, but the collection as a whole has remained largely hidden. “At some point we said, ‘no, the collection deserves to be seen publicly,’” Scharf said, reflecting a sense of duty to share these cultural riches with a wider audience.
For those unable to catch the Berlin show, hope is not lost. The Scharf Collection will travel to Düsseldorf’s Kunstpalast from March to August 2026, where a selection of the same works will be on display. This second venue will offer art lovers in western Germany—and perhaps beyond—another chance to experience the collection’s unique blend of history, innovation, and personal vision.
In a city that has seen its share of upheaval, division, and rebirth, the public unveiling of the Scharf Collection feels like a quiet triumph. It’s a reminder that art, even when kept in private hands, carries within it a public trust—a responsibility to inspire, challenge, and connect people across time and place. As visitors wander from Goya’s war-ravaged Spain to Grosse’s contemporary abstractions, they may find themselves pondering not just the evolution of art, but the enduring power of vision, passion, and legacy.
