Provenance Investigation

From 1998 to 1999, the investigation into Museum Acquisitions between 1940 and 1948 was carried out under the responsibility of the Dutch Museums Association. Acquisitions made by museums between 1940 and 1948 were examined to determine whether they were lawful. After this investigation concluded, the decision was taken to conduct a follow-up investigation for the following reason: 'In Germany, Jews were threatened, robbed or had their property confiscated from 1933 onwards. It cannot be ruled out that there are objects in Dutch museums that were sold under duress by Jewish owners in Germany and Austria or belonged to their confiscated property before the outbreak of the Second World War. "Drifting" stolen art objects could have ended up in museums via art dealers, auctions or private individuals after the Second World War, too'. (Source www.musealeverwervingen.nl/nl/38/over-het-onderzoek/waarom-het-onderzoek/)

All Dutch museums were asked in 2009 to thoroughly examine acquisitions between 1933 and 1940 and between 1948 and 1954 and also to check all acquisitions after 1954 for potentially suspicious provenance.

The Centraal Museum has spent a lot of time and energy in recent years on carefully carrying out the provenance research, based on the conviction that this is part of the responsibility of the museum. In doing so, the museum not only wanted to comply with the committee's request, but also with the international agreements on the obligation on the part of museums to investigate the provenance of the collection. In addition, we drew up a guide and research form in order to safeguard the research in a sustainable manner. As a result, provenance investigation is also part of new acquisitions. The guide and the accompanying form has been shared with fellow museums and institutes.

Provenance investigation is difficult due to the retrospective nature; previous owners have died, archives have disappeared or were never established. Consequently, the investigation that has been opened here has yet to be completed. Help from the public can perhaps fill in gaps and eventually close files in the long run.

Provenance Investigation report conclusion

As a result of the investigation, there are two objects for which the direct acquisition is above suspicion but whose provenance is not conclusive. With these works, we have to conclude, after internal research, follow-up research by the Museum Acquisitions Project Team and evaluation by the committee chairman Rudi Ekkart, that a possibly suspicious or problematic reference in the provenance cannot be ruled out.

The complete investigation report is available online at www.musealeverwervingen.nl.

More information

For information or inquiries, please contact Chantal Perlee in the Collection Management department by telephone: +31 (0)30 236 2308 or email: cperlee@centraalmuseum.nl.

Collect & Connect

Contemporary research project on 20th and 21st century design.

Museums are 'collectors in the public interest'. What we keep is cultural heritage, valuable to preserve for the future. Future generations must be able to enjoy our collections, to gain knowledge and inspiration from them. Storing the items properly is a prerequisite, but compiling and recording knowledge is just as important. And the public must also be aware that this valuable possession is at their disposal. Publishing and presenting, making the collections accessible in all sorts of ways is also an essential task of the museum. These three activities merge in Collect & Connect, the study on the Centraal Museum's collection of 20th and 21st century design. Under normal circumstances, this study, which was conducted in 2012 and 2013, would take place in the museum behind closed doors. However, as part of the research methodology, for the sake of this project the choice was made to actively involve people and bring them in contact with the collection in different ways, digitally or in person.

The collection consists of approximately 3,000 objects ranging from earthenware jars from the early 20th century to ultra modern design that was recently presented at the international furniture fair in Milan. These thousands of objects are classified according to theme, which include the Elisabeth Houtzager collection, Utrecht earthenware, the domestic science school on the Laan van Puntenburg, Droog Design and Rietveld's work.

To gather more knowledge and data about the collection, research internships, depot days and Wikipedia edit-a-thon sessions were organised and exhibitions were held at the Centraal Museum and elsewhere.

Partners

This project was made possible in part by financial support from the De Utrechtse Schatkamer (an initiative of the province of Utrecht) and the Fentener van Vlissingen Fonds.