Honouring a great work
The artist Anselm Feuerbach (1829-1880) became famous primarily for his large-format antique and mythological paintings in muted colours. The association „Feuerbachhaus Speyer e.V.“, founded in 1971, succeeded in saving the house from demolition and establishing a memorial for the Feuerbach family. The painter's grandfather, Paul Johann Anselm Ritter von Feuerbach (1775-1833), was an important legal scholar, while his father Johann Anselm Feuerbach (1798-1851) was a classical philologist and archaeologist.
The archaeologist's family lived in the modest house, which was built around 1800, for ten years. In 1912, the town acquired the property with its large garden on the old town wall in order to use it for cultural purposes. The First World War and the economic conditions afterwards did not allow for such intentions. Even in the commemorative years of 1929/30, there was only enough for an honouring plaque next to the front door.
The association ‘Feuerbachhaus Speyer e.V.’ finally restored the house with the support of citizens, craftsmen and companies from the city of Speyer and the state of Rhineland-Palatinate.
The three rooms on the upper floor display original paintings and drawings, autographs, documents and books. The ground floor is equipped as a ‘place of civic encounters’ with a parlour and several meeting, exhibition and conference rooms. The painter's entire oeuvre is documented, with large-format photo reproductions and diagrams visualising the most important major works and artistic objectives.
Admission to the museum is free. Opening hours, contact details and information about the wine bar can be found on the association's website (German only).