Aschaffenburg, Germany, is hosting a landmark exhibition titled 'A European Collection' at the Christian Schad Museum, opening April 30, 2026. The show features 73 European masterpieces from the 15th to 19th centuries, loaned from the Bohdan and Varvara Khanenko National Museum in Kyiv, Ukraine. Works by Peter Paul Rubens, Bernardo Bellotto, and Claude-Joseph Vernet are included, alongside a contemporary piece by Ukrainian artist Maria Kulikovska juxtaposed with Antonio Canova's sculpture 'La Pace'. This is the first comprehensive presentation of these Ukrainian-held works in Germany.
The exhibition matters because it represents one of the largest displays of Ukrainian cultural heritage in Europe since the war in Ukraine began, highlighting international collaboration to safeguard and promote cultural assets during conflict. By pairing historical European masterpieces with contemporary Ukrainian art, the show creates a dialogue on peace and resilience, underscoring art's role as a bridge between nations. It also offers a rare opportunity for global audiences to access works from a major Kyiv museum that might otherwise be at risk.