9 Since German reunification, the Staatliches Museum Schwerin has emerged as a foremost site of Conceptual Art in the country. The superb collection of works by Marcel Duchamp is not only one of the largest in Europe, it is also perfectly complemented by extensive holdings of objects from the Fluxus movement and Mail Art. The Ducal Collections Much of the extensive collection of Old Masters in Schwerin can be traced back to Duke Christian Ludwig II. He installed many of his acquisitions in the Picture Gallery, a specially built extension to the old schloss, where he displayed paintings alongside a wide range of works of art and various other objects: small-format sculptures, porcelain figurines, ivory carvings, goldsmiths’ work, chinoiseries, ethnographic and natural objects (naturalia), his collection of engravings and much more. Further to his direct contact with several artists, Christian Ludwig II also cultivated contacts with art dealers and agents in cities such as Amsterdam, The Hague, Paris, Berlin, Dresden and elsewhere, who kept him informed about sales and auctions of works of art. Family members and court officials, among Oudry Gallery on the upper floor
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