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Lot Essay
Dr. Arnold Rüsch was a Swiss industrialist, philosopher, and avid collector of antiquities. In 1920 he commissioned the architect Johann Albert Freytag to build a Pompeian style home on the Zürichberg to house his extensive collection.
Following Rüsch's untimely death in 1929, the majority of his ancient artwork was auctioned in 1936, though the mosaics and wall painting fragments remained in his villa until their removal in 1968. 'The villa will still retain its character through the Roman mosaics, which are inserted into the floor, as well as the Pompeian wall paintings built into the walls etc., and will thus - to an extent - preserve the memory of the noble-minded collector, while the movable pieces will be scattered around the world.' Prof. Dr. Otto Waser, Sammlung A. Ruesch, Zürich, Griechische, Etruskische und Römische Altertümer, Galerie Fischer, Luzern, 1936, p. 5.
Campana reliefs take there name from Marchese G. Campana, a nineteenth-century collector who owned a large number of similar Roman terracotta reliefs.
Following Rüsch's untimely death in 1929, the majority of his ancient artwork was auctioned in 1936, though the mosaics and wall painting fragments remained in his villa until their removal in 1968. 'The villa will still retain its character through the Roman mosaics, which are inserted into the floor, as well as the Pompeian wall paintings built into the walls etc., and will thus - to an extent - preserve the memory of the noble-minded collector, while the movable pieces will be scattered around the world.' Prof. Dr. Otto Waser, Sammlung A. Ruesch, Zürich, Griechische, Etruskische und Römische Altertümer, Galerie Fischer, Luzern, 1936, p. 5.
Campana reliefs take there name from Marchese G. Campana, a nineteenth-century collector who owned a large number of similar Roman terracotta reliefs.