Records comprise photographs, and photocopies of the photographs, of the opening and unpacking of the Ludwig Collection of illuminated manuscripts purchased by the J. Paul Getty Museum, 1983.

The early 1980s were a pivotal moment in the Getty Trust’s development. The settlement of J. Paul Getty’s estate precipitated lengthy discussions about the future directions of the Museum's collections. In 1983, the J. Paul Getty Museum was offered one of the finest private collection of illuminated manuscripts in the world, that of German chocolate manufacturer Peter Ludwig and his wife, Irene Ludwig. It provided the opportunity to acquire a world-class collection with a single purchase, and broadened the scope of collecting by the Getty Museum. The collection consisted of 144 illuminated manuscripts, selected with the advice of book dealer Hans P. Kraus, covering more than eleven hundred years and representing virtually every region of Europe. Particularly strong in German, central European, and later Flemish manuscripts, the collection was among the few private collections of manuscripts formed in the second half of the twentieth century that was still intact. The Trustees approved the purchase in 1983, and the Department of Manuscripts was formed with Thomas Kren, formerly Associate Curator of Paintings, as its head.

0.1 linear feet (1 box)

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The records described in accession 1986.IA.33 are available for use by qualified researchers.