In 1975, the lawyer, art collector, and patron Walther Kastner donated his art collection to the state of Upper Austria. Further donations followed after his death and the passing of his widow. Besides medieval sculptures and paintings from the Baroque and Biedermeier periods to the turn of the 20th century, the initial donation already included a significant collection of approximately 110 drawings and prints.

The exhibition in Schlossmuseum Linz This exhibition presents these graphic works from the 1975 donation in their entirety for the first time. It thus offers a focused insight into the breadth of Kastner's collecting activities and the exceptional quality of the prints. A particular focus is the Viennese Biedermeier period, a golden age of graphic arts characterized, not least, by the rapid spread of lithography. Works by the Alt family, Josef Kriehuber, Josef Danhauser, and Moritz Daffinger are among those represented. The selection is complemented by drawings and prints by Gustav Klimt, Egon Schiele, Oskar Kokoschka, and Alfred Kubin, from whom Kastner repeatedly requested prints for review.

During the Nazi era, Walther Kastner held a position of responsibility and was involved in various processes, particularly those related to the Aryanization of Jewish property. The Kastner Collection is therefore the subject of current provenance research.

Today, the Graphic Collection of the State of Upper Austria preserves more than 1,000 drawings and prints from the Kastner donations. Due to their light sensitivity, many of these works can only be exhibited rarely.