BASEL – Hildy Beyeler, who joined her husband Ernst Beyeler in building one of Switzerland’s biggest art collections, has died. She was 86.

A spokeswoman for the internationally renowned museum Beyeler Foundation says she died Friday.

Catherine Schott was confirming a report of daily newspaper Basler Zeitung on Monday.

Beyeler married in 1948 and became a constant companion in her husband’s art business.

They were both involved in founding Art Basel in the 1970s. The exposition has since become the largest international fair of contemporary art.

The Beyelers opened their museum in 1997.

[AP / Expatica]

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