The Sculpture Garden By Carl Duisberg (1861 – 1935)

“ART IS JOY!”

With these simple yet profound words, Privy Councillor Dr Carl Duisberg (1861–1935) expressed a guiding principle that shaped his life and legacy. For him, art was never merely about possession but a source of deep and enduring delight—a way of experiencing the world that brought beauty, clarity, and harmony into everyday life. Known primarily as a pioneering industrialist and long-serving chairman of the Bayer chemical company, Duisberg also nurtured a personal commitment to the arts and to harmonising science, culture, and nature. This philosophy found its most intimate expression in the garden he created after relocating from Elberfeld to Leverkusen in 1912, a move tied to Bayer’s expansion. Instead of opting for a conventional lawn, he envisioned a Japanese-inspired garden, not as an imitation but as a personal interpretation reflecting his sensitivity to the seasons, natural forms, and the dialogue between object and environment. Every element, from animal bronzes to stone sculptures, was handpicked for its ability to converse with its surroundings—the trees, water, and shifting light. The result was a living collection in which artworks became part of the garden’s breath and rhythm.

This catalogue presents a selection from that remarkable ensemble: objects once enlivening a space designed to awaken the senses and stir the spirit. They remain vivid echoes of Duisberg’s vision, testaments to a man for whom art transcended galleries and salons, finding its true home in the living world, and reflecting the broader cultural ambitions of a leader who never lost sight of the humanising power of beauty.