A Swiss businessman's extensive modern art collection, once a symbol of his financial success, now faces a bitter legal dispute over who controls its future.
Werner Merzbacher, whose wealth came from fur and currency trading, left behind a trove including works by van Gogh, Cézanne, Matisse, and others. His 600 million franc collection was on loan to Kunsthaus Zurich, but legal challenges now threaten the arrangement.
The will battle centers around whether Merzbacher’s final wishes were sound or if his health impacted his decision-making. Meanwhile, questions loom over the future of the loaned collection, which may be renegotiated or relocated amid ongoing court battles.
Despite similar issues with another Zurich museum's loan, no clear resolution seems imminent. As legal disputes rage, art lovers and collectors alike wonder: in a world where wealth can become a liability posthumously, what’s left but to sue?







