Friedrich von Nerly had emigrated to Venice in 1835 and afterwards had painted exclusively aquarelles and drawings of the city.

[3] Initially, the collection focused – inspired by the works of Friedrich Nerly – on landscape painting, portraits and still lifes from the 18th to 20th centuries.

[4] It is a special feature of the Angermuseum that the citizens here were involved in the expansion of the museum and not the princes as in Weimar and Gotha.

"The honorary class of wealthy and educated citizens" (in German: "Die Honoratiorenschicht aus Besitz– und Bildungsbürgern") determined the character and orientation of the museum for a long time.

Kaesbach was supported in acquiring new artistic works by the Jewish shoe manufacturer Alfred Hess, who supported the purchase of numerous then current works by painters such as Lyonel Feininger, Emil Nolde, Ernst Barlach, Gerhard Marcks, Max Pechstein and others and thus caused the Angermuseum's collection to become known as one of the greatest of German Expressionism.

From 1944 the museum was closed down, the works of art were moved out because of the aerial war and thus saved from bombs and artillery fire.