Villa Flora, located in Winterthur, is a former private residence renowned for its exceptional collection of modern art. Originally built in the 19th century, the villa was home to the Hahnloser family, whose avid art collecting transformed the residence into a cultural treasure trove. The collection, known as the Hahnloser Collection, features significant works from notable artists such as Van Gogh, Cézanne, Renoir, and Bonnard. It is now part of Kunst Museum Winterthur.
Originally built in 1846, Villa Flora was renovated by Rittmeyer & Furrer in the Art Nouveau style in 1908. The square fountain in the garden was added in 1916.
Villa Flora at the intersection of Tösstalstrasse and Obermühlestrasse
Villa Flora and its large garden
Rittmeyer & Furrer designed, together with Hedy Hahnloser, a modern salon that was even presented to the public as part of the First Zurich Room Art Exhibition (Zürcher Raumkunstausstellung) in 1908. It has been preserved until today.
salon on the first floor
salon on the first floor
Three sculptures by Aristide Maillol are part of the Hahnloser Collection. "Flore", created in 1909/1910 is on display inside the building, while "L'été" and Pomone are shown in the museum garden. The "Green Room" is now dedicated to paintings by Vincent Van Gogh. Adjacent to the salon, it is called the "Green Room" because of its originally green wallpaper. The wallpaper has been replaced several times over the years and today, a blue tone dominates the "Green Room". The pattern of the wallpaper is still based on designs by Hedy Hahnloser.
"Flore" by Aristide Maillol
room with paintings by Van Gogh
Because the Hahnlosers' art collection had grown significantly over the years, eventually new walls were needed. In 1927, a room on the second floor with a skylight, aptly named the gallery, was added and entirely dedicated to the presentation of works of art. Many of the paintings shown here are by Swiss painter Félix Vallotton, such as "La Blanche et la Noire" (1913), "Chapeau violet" (1907), "Liseuse torse nue" (1910) and "Modèle assis sur le divan de l’atelier" (1904).
gallery room on the second floor with "En mer" (Pierre Bonnard) and "Chapeau violet" (Felix Vallotton)
gallery room on the second floor with “La Blanche et la Noire” (Felix Vallotton, 1913)
corridor
staircase
After the death of Arthur and Hedy Hahnloser, the house initially remained in the family. In 1980, a foundation was set up for both the house and its art collection. Villa Flora is now part of the Kunst Museum Winterthur association and starting in 2021, its entire building was restored and brought up to the latest museum standards. It re-opened on March 22, 2024.
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