Erwin Hauser’s group goes to Linz

The city of Linz will receive an early Christmas gift worth an estimated €16.5 million to the Linz family through the Erwin Hauser Group. Offering a comprehensive picture of Austrian art history and including numerous installations by world-famous artists such as Helene Funke, Anton Kollig and Hemo Zubernig, the impressive art collection represents the largest expansion of the Linz Museum’s collection since 1953.

Businessman Linz doctor. Erwin Hauser – a committed board member of the “Lentos Freunde” association for decades and currently serving as its Vice-President – has built one of Austria’s most important private art collections with works of art from the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries over the past decades. Hauser now decided to leave a large part of this collection to the city of Linz and thus to Lintos. The museum’s valuable art collection will be made available as a permanent loan during the life of the collector and will later be donated to the city of Linz and Lintos.

doctor. Erwin Hauser about his decision: “Collecting photographs is like an addiction that I have not been able to get rid of. Since my student days, I have built up my collection with a lot of love for the history of Austrian art. I am convinced that this heritage will be better preserved in the Linz Art Museum in Linz.”

“The generous gift from Dr. Erwin Hauser is a milestone in the cultural development of our city. This significant expansion of the Lentos art collection strengthens Linz as a cultural site and gives citizens and guests unique access to the works of important artists. Klaus Luger, Mayor of Linz, says, expressing his gratitude: “We are grateful for Erwin Hauser’s commitment and enriching our cultural diversity.”

“The Erwin Hauser Collection is not only a quantitative but also a qualitative enrichment for the Lentos Art Museum. The diversity of artists and works, from neoclassical to contemporary, is an excellent addition to the Lentos Collection. This ensures “The expansion means that both residents of Linz and visitors to world-class museums can enjoy this wonderful collection and experience art as an integral part of our culture.”

“The Erwin Hauser Collection is a gift to art lovers and to the future of Lento. The diversity and quality of these works enables us to create new narrative connections and enhance contemporary discourses in our exhibitions. We see it as our responsibility to preserve these treasures and make them tangible. This collection opens up a wide range of artistic expressions and represents A legacy that will inspire generations,” confirms the Lento director Likes.^a Hema dirt out.

With this step, the Lintos Museum is witnessing its largest expansion since the museum was founded with the purchase of the “Wolfgang Gurlitt Collection” in 1953. In total, the “Irwin Hauser Collection” adds 2,912 works of art by approximately 700 artists. For the current collections of the Art Museum. Lentos has so far had about 15,000 diagrams and 1,800 paintings and sculptures. With the purchase of the “Archive Günter Zamp Kelp” (2020) and the VALIE EXPORT estate (2015), the museum’s collection has been strategically expanded to include important items.

Important artists included in the “Irwin Hauser Collection” are: et al Siegfried Anzinger, Christian Ludwig Attersee, Tina Blau, Herbert Brandl, Erich Brauer, Günter Pruss, Waltraud Cooper, Inge Dick, Vale Export, Ernst Fuchs, Helene Funke, Helmut Gsolboehner, Xenia Hausner, Manfred Hebenstreit, Gottfried Helnwein, Alfred Hrdlicka, Friedensreich Hundertwasser, Anna Germolaiwa, Martha Jungwirth, Anton Kulig, Karl Korab, Brigitte Cowans, Elke Krstowiec, Alfred Kubin, Karl Moll, Alois Mosbacher, Maria Moser, Otto Moll, Hermann Nitsch, Arnulf Rainer, Johann Baptist Reiter, Gerwald Rockenschaub, Herbert Schieppel . , Eva Schlegel, Deborah Singel, Hans Staudacher, Franz West, Erwin Wurm, Otto Zitkow and Hemo Zubernig.

The businessman’s collection consists almost entirely of paintings, sculptures and works on paper by the most important Austrian artists from the 19th century to the present.

The estimated value of the Erwin Hauser collection is approximately 16.5 million euros. A special feature is the breadth of the collection, which not only provides a comprehensive overview of the history of Austrian art, but also covers different creative periods of important artists.

The Erwin Hauser Collection currently remains in its original warehouse, rented by the city of Linz. It will be presented to the public for the first time in 2025 at a comprehensive exhibition in Lintos.

Personal Biography doctor. Irwin Hauser

doctor. Erwin Hauser (born in Linz in 1941) has worked in his father’s company since 1964 after obtaining his HTL degree in mechanical engineering in Linz and obtaining his doctorate from the International Business University in Vienna. His father Rudolf, who specialized in refrigeration technology at the Linz brewery, ventured into self-employment in 1946 and has since devoted himself to repairing refrigerators. Avid art collector Erwin Hauser discovered his passion for art while still a student.

After an inspiring trip to Sweden for Husqvarna and several training sessions abroad, the decision was made doctor. Erwin Hauser began producing metal refrigerated tanks for the food trade in 1965. In 1981, he took over full management and transformed his father’s business into a successful company across Europe with locations in Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Slovakia, Hungary, Poland, England, France, Romania, Switzerland and Bulgaria. HAUSER currently employs about 1,200 people.

The company’s management doctor. Erwin Hauser was transferred to an experienced management team a few years ago. Nowadays, it is mainly dedicated to developing real estate projects. The avid art collector has expanded his art collection further and more extensively over the past fifteen years.

(Information document of the press conference with Mayor Klaus Luger, City Councilor for Culture Doris Lange Mayrhofer, doctor. Irwin Hauser And Likes.^a Hema dirtTechnical Director Lintus, about this topic The city of Linz holds an important art collection)

Other participants:
doctor. Julius Steber, Director of the Department of Culture and Education
doctor. Gernot Baronig, Commercial Director of Lintus
doctor.ⁱⁿ Elisabeth Nowak Thaler, head of the Lento Paintings Collection