The reign of Johann Wilhelm II, Elector Palatine, Duke of Jülich-Berg and Count Palatine of Neuburg marked the beginning of a glorious era for the residential city of Düsseldorf. The Elector, affectionately called “Jan Wellem” by the people of Düsseldorf, was perceived as being close to the people despite his dignity. He enjoyed drinking with the artists he patronized in the old town and was proud of his rank as king of marksmen. The name The Wellem is not only a reminder of this dazzling personality. The hotel itself also revives the spirit of the elector in new splendor.
Florence – the cradle of the Renaissance. Admired beauty, where aesthetics and splendor, wealth and power were once redefined. Anna Maria Luisa de’ Medici, the wife of Jan Wellem, came from here. She brought with her a passion for art, music and culinary delights from her home town. And infected her husband with it. Through her influence, Düsseldorf became what it is today. The name of The Wellem hotel not only refers to the Elector’s final resting place in the neighboring St. Andrew’s Church. It also consciously and in many details echoes the attitude to life that the Wittelsbach Johann Wilhelm and Anna Maria from the House of Medici stood for.
Jan Wellem was one of the most significant art collectors of his time. He developed an active collecting practice in the fields of ivory carving, goldsmithing, and the entire spectrum of craftsmanship. With a discerning eye and great devotion, he brought together works by European masters and transformed Düsseldorf into a cultural center. His collection included works by Peter Paul Rubens, Anthony van Dyck, Titian, Raphael, and Caravaggio. To acquire European art treasures, Jan Wellem sent his court painter Jan Frans van Douven on travels as an art agent. He founded a picture gallery that laid the foundation for the art metropolis, and an opera house where Georg Friedrich Händel, among others, made guest appearances.
