The collection of the Gottfried Keller Foundation is one of the important collections of Swiss art. The foundation was established in 1890 by Lydia Welti-Escher and was later entrusted to the Confederation for the purpose of procuring important works of visual art for Switzerland.

The works, collected over the course of some 130 years, are owned by the Confederation and are on permanent loan in over 70 Swiss museums and other public institutions. The National Museum Zurich and the Museo d'arte della Svizzera italiana in Lugano, in collaboration with the Federal Office of Culture, are exhibiting masterpieces from this impressive federal art collection.

The exhibition in Zurich chronicles the history of the foundation and showcases the collection’s diversity with precious objects from the 12th to the 20th century, including goldsmithery, stained glass, drawings, paintings and sculptures. The Lugano exhibition focuses on paintings.