Ernst Beyeler died last week at the age of 88. The New York Times details the galleries beginnings:

Mr. Beyeler soon began buying undervalued Impressionist and modern works. In one of his biggest coups, he acquired, between 1959 and 1965, a trove of artworks from the Pittsburgh steel baron David G. Thompson, including 100 works by Klee, 90 by Giacometti and hundreds by Cézanne, Monet, Picasso, Braque, Matisse, Miró and others. In 1972 he acquired about 100 works by Kandinsky from the artist’s widow.Continue Reading