Golden times: The Fuggers as patrons of the arts

Hardly any other merchant family of the Renaissance stands for commercial power and wealth like the Fuggers. Their activities spanned the entire world accessible from Europe at that time. Augsburg became an international trading center. This is mainly due to Jakob Fugger (1459-1525), known as »the Rich«, who decisively expanded the family business. Fugger, who is also known for building the Fuggerei, the oldest social housing complex in the world, was also an important patron of the arts. In cooperation with the Fürstlich und Gräflich Fuggerschen Stiftungen (Princely and Countly Fugger Foundations), the Kunstsammlungen & Museen Augsburg (Augsburg Art Collections & Museums) are exhibiting precious art treasures from the family's collection and from the circle of Jakob Fugger the Rich and his descendants. The exhibition Art’s Rich Heritage: Jakob Fugger and his Legacy can be seen until April 12, 2026, at the Schaezlerpalais in Augsburg, the »Fugger city«.

In their places of business as merchants, the Fuggers influenced local art production, leading to a flourishing of goldsmithing, for example. The Fuggers employed the best painters, architects, sculptors, and medallists of their time and became passionate collectors of contemporary and antique art. Under the influence of the Fuggers, the first Renaissance buildings in what is now Germany were also constructed in Augsburg. In this way, they promoted a lively cultural exchange that strove for the highest artistic quality. The exhibition, which features a total of 40 exhibits, also inclludes Albrecht Dürer's famous portrait of Jakob Fugger (around 1520), which is back in Augsburg for the first time in a long while.

The exhibition is under the patronage of Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.