Provenance research usually takes place in the background but is of enormous importance. At Grisebach, Isabel von Klitzing, Dr Nadine Bauer and Susanne Baunach research short and long provenance histories on a daily basis, most recently on the Walter Bauer collection. Some of the works were defamed as "degenerate" during the Nazi era. 

What is provenance research all about?

In short: where does a work come from, who acquired it, collected it, kept it - but who may also have taken it, lost it, sold it or stored it? Through our research, we endeavour to reconstruct the respective ownership history of an object as completely as possible - from its journey from the artist's studio to the present day. It is not just a question of who owned a work, but also under what circumstances it changed hands;

How do you go about finding the origin of a work of art?

The first thing we look at is when a work of art was created. We must analyse all works that can be dated to before 1945. Research is particularly important for works that changed hands during the Nazi era, i.e. between 1933 and 1945. Not only do we learn something about the biographies of the objects, but often a great deal about the lives of the people who once owned them.

What evidence is there of previous ownership?

Signatures, labels and inventory numbers on the back can provide initial clues. We then check our internal documents and compare them with auction catalogues, exhibition records, photo documentation and databases such as Lost Art or German Sales. If necessary, we make external enquiries and carry out further research in archives, for example. Often an overall picture emerges from many small fragments. 

What does that look like in concrete terms?

In the case of the Bauer Collection, for example, we have started to search for possible matches in the Lost Art database using lists of works. It is also very important to be able to trace in Bauer's documents when which work came into the collection. Further research can then be based on the information gathered in this way. 

Which myth about provenance research would you like to dispel?

Many people believe that we can find out where a work comes from at the touch of a button - but this is a myth. Provenance research is meticulous, time-consuming and often frustrating. And it does not always deliver clear results. Another misconception is that provenance research and settlements are primarily carried out in museums or public institutions. However, a great deal also happens in the art trade, but it is often not visible to the public. Transparency is increasingly being promoted, for example by making it visible in catalogues, but also by signposting sensitive provenances during previews.