In 1960, Bührle’s heirs transferred a third of the art collection to the Foundation E.G. Bührle Collection and opened it up to the public in a villa on Zollikerstrasse in Zurich. These works have been on long-term loan at the Kunsthaus Zürich since 2021.
The controversy surrounding the Emil Bührle Collection attaches to a number of works that were formerly owned by Jewish people persecuted by the Nazis. A further cause of debate is the fact that Bührle acquired his fortune as an entrepreneur, with much of his wealth coming from arms sales to countries including Nazi Germany.