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The Collector:		"Leo Mildenberg is a modern day Noah. Only peaceful, free creatures are admitted in the ark", commented an article in the "Frankfurter Allgemeine" in a review of an exhibition of Mildenberg's animal sculpture collection in Frankfurt. His animals are extremely old. They were created in the Stone Age, in the time of the Pharaos, ancient Greece, ancient Rome, and in the Byzantine empire. "Noah" Mildenberg discovered them in auctions, in old collections, at art dealers, and once even in a souvenir shop in Jerusalem. He rescued them and keeps them partly in his ark at his home or in the Archaeological Institute of the University of Zurich. By displaying his animals, he communicates his enthusiasm for the beauty and character of each individual creature in his collection consisting of approximately 800 artworks. Amongst horses, donkeys, sheep, lions, elephants, pigs are hosts of insects, fish and birds. Not to mention cats, turtles, snakes and mice. Excluded are mythological depictions such as Pegasus or dragons since these are not real animals. The knowing eye of the historical scholar and collector recognizes every particularity. Leo Mildenberg is led by love and misses his sculptures when they are exhibited far from home and every homecoming is a reason to celebrate. Leo Mildenberg's flame for animal sculptures burns for over 50 years. The animal depictions that he saw on ancient Greek coins started his enthusiasm. As head of the Numismatic Department of Bank Leu he was not allowed to collect coins for himself for fear that this would lead to a conflict of interests with his clients and therefore, focused his attentions on a collection of animal pictures and sculptures.