"To contribute to the improvement of public taste" was the stated intention of art collector Karl Ernst Osthaus. The Hagen-born son of a banker, Osthaus assembled a private collection that later became the basis of the Museum Folkwang's remarkable treasure trove of art. Located in Essen, the museum is best known for its distinguished holdings of masterpieces from the era of the avant-garde to the mid-twentieth century. The focus is on the period extending from Paul Cezanne to Max Beckmann, including artists such as Paul Gauguin and Vincent van Gogh; renowned contemporary artists such as Martin Kippenberger and Lothar Baumgarten are also represented in the collection. Sculptures and installations round out this impressive and sensitively designed volume.