James Simon. The life and work of the greatest patron of Berlin's museums

Film

James Simon was the greatest patron of the Berlin museums. He donated many objects from his art collection to the Kaiser Friedrich Museum. These included the world-famous bust of Nefertiti. As founder and chairman of the German Orient Society, he financed excavations in the Near East and Ancient Egypt and thus made a significant contribution to the greatest archaeological discoveries of the 19th century. The economic rise of his cloth and textile company brought Simon a considerable fortune, which he not only used for his passion for collecting, but also gave back to Berlin society. James Simon was not only a patron of the arts and archaeology. He was an unrivalled philanthropist of his time. The new James-Simon-Galerie on Museumsinsel Berlin aims to bring his name and his work back into the public consciousness.

Video: art/beats im Auftrag der James Simon-Gesellschaft