A significant and until now rarely displayed part of the city’s collection is made up of works of art from the early 20th century. This includes a collection of around 450 watercolours by the highly prolific Luxembourg artist and architect Sosthène Weis, who predominantly captured views of the city of Luxembourg and its suburbs.
His chosen medium was watercolour painting, which enabled him to capture the prevailing lighting situation and atmosphere of the city. Stylistically, his landscape depictions feature post-Impressionist characteristics. He found inspiration for his watercolours in regular walks throughout the city, which he embarked on almost daily, morning or evening, either alone or in the company of his children.
The selection of watercolours chosen for this exhibition provides an overview of the artist’s oeuvre from the early 1920s to his death in 1941. On the one hand, changes in depiction towards a more graphic style and increasingly dissolved forms can be observed. On the other hand, constants are also recognisable, such as the vibrant colour palette that was characteristic of Weis and that he barely veered away from during his life.
Visitors are invited to take a stroll around the city and to observe familiar surroundings through the artist’s eyes. Weis’s views of the city are mostly empty of people, making them appear almost surreal and “dreamlike” to today’s observers.
International Women's Day - 8 and 9 March 2025
For International Women's Day, Villa Vauban is offering a rich and varied programme. Discover it here!
