Thirty years ago this month, when the billionaire Norwegian shipping magnate and prolific collector of contemporary art Hans Rasmus Astrup opened a museum in Oslo to house his collection, the response was chilly.
Sceptics accused Astrup, who died in 2021, of establishing an “ego-seum”. Norwegian radio asked whether his intention was to “establish a monument to affluent capitalism or a living museum which dares to take some chances”.
