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New museum in Großröhrsdorf: Rolf Werner's forgotten art returns!
On September 7, 2025, Großröhrsdorf will open a new museum for the forgotten Leipzig painter Rolf Werner with 90 oil paintings.
New museum in Großröhrsdorf: Rolf Werner's forgotten art returns!
A very special museum will open in Großröhrsdorf on Sunday. It is dedicated to the almost forgotten artist Rolf Werner, who lived from 1916 to 1989 and came from Leipzig. For a long time he captured the scenes of his surroundings on Usedom, but after his death his work gradually fell into oblivion. Two committed private individuals have now brought Werner's estate back to Saxony in order to bring his work back to life. How tagesschau.de reports, the Rolf Werner Museum will be housed on one floor of a former manufacturer's villa in the middle of Großröhrsdorf.
Werner's work had previously been in storage and no longer accessible to the public since his widow's death in 2014. Silke Höppner, a talented painter from Dresden, discovered Werner's paintings during her art studies in Rolf Werner memorial studio on Usedom and was immediately fascinated. Together with her husband Thorsten Preuß, she contacted Werner's descendants in order to protect and present his legacy. About 90 oil paintings will be on display on opening day, with the promise of more works and drawings in the near future.
A touch of Usedom in Saxony
Rolf Werner was not only a passionate painter, but also a creator who created his pictures over several months with great care and dedication. His style was strongly influenced by the landscapes and cityscapes that surrounded him. Like from Sea Usedom described, he was able to masterfully internalize the impressions he collected and implement them on his easel. A total of 90 works show his love of painting, which arose from a need: “just to paint”.
Fanny, Werner's wife, supported him throughout his career as he ventured into the art world after studying dentistry in Greifswald. He rarely parted with his creations unless they found a place in museums or galleries. Some of his works can even be found in the National Gallery. The memorial studio on Usedom is open all year round and offers regular tours where visitors can experience the art of the almost forgotten master up close.
Preserve culture and heritage
But Werner's story is not the only one of its kind. A research center for artists' estates has been in existence since 2016, which aims to support regional artists and make their works visible to the public. How arthistoricum.net explains, it is of great importance to document artists' estates and to digitize the core holdings including works of art in order to preserve their legacy. Such initiatives show how important it is to shine a light on forgotten artists and honor their influence on art history.
The Rolf Werner Museum in Großröhrsdorf is therefore not only a place to see the works of a forgotten painter, but also an important step in keeping our culture and history alive. The opening is a welcome opportunity for all art lovers and those interested to discover and appreciate Werner's work.
The museum is located at Bischofswerdaer Straße 8 in Großröhrsdorf, Bretnig district, and is open on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. And the best part? Entry is free.