Provenance Search
As part of its ongoing collections research, Joslyn Art Museum has embarked on a provenance study of portions of its holdings. Provenance (the history of an art object's ownership) has become a research focus for art museums in recent years as the facts surrounding confiscated art during the World War II era have become more widely known. Some unlawfully appropriated art has found its way into U.S. art museum collections over the years, and the museum community guided by the American Association of Museum (AAM), is working to clarify the ownership history of the paintings listed below. The Joslyn Art Museum's Board of Governors supports the work of the AAM and the Association of Art Museum Directors (AAMD) in this important undertaking.
These paintings were created by European artists prior to 1946. All are undergoing systematic research by the Museum's curatorial staff (and, in some cases, outside experts) as time and budgetary restrictions permit to determine their whereabouts during the critical 1933-1945 period of National Socialist rule in Germany. For these works, there are gaps in the chain of ownership during those years. This missing documentation does not in itself identify these as looted or improperly acquired artworks. By exposing them to the widest possible audience of scholars and interested persons, we hope to add to the collected knowledge on these paintings and to learn more about their past ownership.
Any information on the provenance of these, or any works in the Joslyn collection, is welcomed. For queries, please email.
Links:
AAM Provenance Research Project Information
Nazi-Era Provenance Internet Portal