Jean Baier, "Peinture Cellulosique', 1961, painting. Copyright for this work may be controlled by the artist, the artist's estate, or other rights holders. See our Terms page at Bechtler.org for more information.

Made in Switzerland

The Bechtler Museum of Modern Art was founded by Andreas Bechtler, a Swiss-born entrepreneur, artist, musician, and art collector. With singular vision and taste, Andreas’ parents, Hans and Bessie Bechtler of Zürich, Switzerland developed a cutting- edge collection of modern art capturing a remarkable era in art history from the perspective of a family living in the center of Europe. After inheriting a portion of his parents’ collection, Andreas Bechtler made plans for a museum that would honor both the art and the way in which it was collected over a period of 50 years.

Switzerland is a country situated as the intersection of Western, Central, and Southern Europe. Bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east, Switzerland measures just under 16,000 square miles, roughly the size of Vermont and New Hampshire combined. Comprised of four main linguistic and cultural regions: German, French, Italian, and Romansh, Swiss culture is characterized by the diversity created by the confluence and combination of the four different languages and cultures.

This exhibition highlights a selection of works in the Bechtler’s collection by artists of Swiss nationality whose practices exemplify the Swiss traditions and culture of freedom, openness, diversity, and intellectual innovation.