Heart to art

Oskar Reinhart, Switzerland’s Samuel Courtauld and a man so driven that he pursued one painting for 30 years, amassed such an extraordinary collection that it fed two museums. Now, a selection of his works goes on show in London

Carla Passino

OSKAR REINHART lived for art. Not for making it—he called himself a ‘non-artist’—but for collecting it. Born in 1885 in Winterthur, Switzerland, he was the fourth son of Thomas Reinhart and Lilly Volkart, whose family had founded a successful trading company, Volkart Brothers. Thomas ran the firm and his children soon joined him, including Oskar, who, always more interested in art than in business, took the opportunity offered by his postings to Paris, London or Berlin to visit galleries, private collections, studios and exhibitions. ‘To be able to grow up among artists… was the great stroke of luck of my youth’ Although his means were initially limited, the young Reinhart liked to buy what works he could—mostly prints, but he even managed to secure a small Renoir painting in 1912. He relied…

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Country Life (Digital) - 1 Issue, February 12, 2025

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