THE BECHTLER JOURNEY

Hans Bechtler credited his brother Walter for leading the way to the family’s interest in modern art. In 1950 the brothers began to visit the Kunsthaus museum in Zurich. They frequented local galleries, purchased art and made friends with artists. These early forays into the art world led Hans and his wife Bessie on a journey of almost 70 years in which the couple amassed a collection of incredible depth and diversity. The couple preferred art that revealed the working methods of the artist, and to this end acquired drawings and other preparatory work related to the artists’ total oeuvre. The Bechtler brothers incorporated art into their workplaces and the family passed on the admiration for modern art and respect for the artists to their children.

Andreas, the son of Hans and Bessie, grew up around artists and became an artist himself as well as an entrepreneur. Business holdings brought Andreas Bechtler to Charlotte, North Carolina and he chose to make the city his permanent home. After inheriting a portion of his parents' extensive collection, and augmenting it with his own acquisitions, Andreas decided to commit the collection to the city of Charlotte.

“What an incredible journey this has been. I never thought I would have an art collection for which a museum would be built but here we are.” -Andreas Bechtler 2009

PUBLIC / PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP

The Bechtler Museum of Modern Art is the result of a successful public-private partnership between Wachovia/Wells Fargo, the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County. The Arts & Science Council of Charlotte-Mecklenburg led a successful campaign that raised new and additional endowment support for the Bechtler and several other Charlotte cultural institutions.