The collection "RheinRomantik" (Romanticism and the Rhine) is one of the most important collections of 19th century romantic painting in Germany. At the beginning of the 19th century the Rhine became a source of inspiration for a new generation of artists. German Romanticism and its reception abroad were significantly influenced by the sight of steep rocks and ruins of old castles, by the varying light of the scenery as well as by the legends associated with the ancient river.

Famous artists of the Duesseldorf school of painting, painters like Andreas and Oswald Achenbach, Johann Wilhelm Schirmer and Carl Friedrich Lessing, are central figures in the collection. The Biedermeier painters from Koblenz, Jakob and Anton Diezler, reflect the idyllic world of the 19th century, while the English water colorists David Roberts and Henry Bright capture the play of light and shadow.