Museum Purrmann-Haus

The Museum Purrmann-Haus (website German only) presents the largest public collection of works by the classical modernist artist couple Hans Purrmann (1880-1966) and Mathilde Vollmoeller-Purrmann (1876-1943).

Around 100 paintings, watercolours and prints as well as archival documents and personal objects tell the fascinating story of two outstanding artistic personalities of the first half of the 20th century. Hans Purrmann was a pupil of Franz von Stuck and a member of the ‘Berlin Secession’. In Paris, he was one of the founding members of the ‘Académie Matisse’. He maintained a lifelong friendship with his teacher Henri Matisse.

Mathilde Vollmoeller enjoyed her first successes in Berlin as a pupil of Sabine Lepsius and Leo von König. She experienced the zenith of her career in Paris in numerous exhibitions and as a pupil of Henri Matisse. As a successful artist and fascinating female figure, she is regarded as a pioneer of emancipation at the beginning of the 20th century.

The Purrmann House is not only a museum, but also an archive and research centre involved in numerous exhibition collaborations and academic projects. In addition to the permanent collection, the Purrmann House presents changing cabinet exhibitions and offers public guided tours (German only) and guided tours for groups (English tours available). A comprehensive educational programme for a wide range of visitor groups, numerous events and much more make the museum a lively place of cultural exchange.

In 1965, the city of Speyer donated the ‘Hans Purrmann Prize of the City of Speyer for Fine Arts’ on the occasion of Hans Purrmann's 85th birthday. Since 2012, the ‘Great Hans Purrmann Prize of the City of Speyer’ has been awarded by the Hans Purrmann Foundation, as has the sponsorship prize since 2017. Following the award ceremony, an exhibition of the nominated artists' works is regularly held in the Kulturhof Flachsgasse.

All information on the Hans Purrmann Prizes can be found here (website German only).