At that time, Hamburg did not yet have an art academy or a gallery. However, French emigrants brought many art treasures with them to Hamburg during the French Revolution. Waagen's extensive knowledge of art and his negotiating skills enabled him, with little financial means, to assemble an extensive private collection of paintings by Italian, Dutch and German painters, 'which he showed to the public on certain days for an entrance fee.Hamburgisches Künstler-Lexikon. Vol. 1, Hoffman and Campe, Hamburg 1854, . Hamburg State and University Library. retrieved 30 July 2021.
