Provenance Research

Since 2010 the 3Landesmuseen Braunschweig have been proactively, systematically and continuously researching the provenance of the objects in their collections. Provenance research is an integral part of modern museum and collection activity. Provenance research in Germany is based on the Washington Principles passed in 1998 and the subsequent Common Statement of 1999. The basis of the implementation of the Washington Principles and the Common Statement are guidelines issued by the Federal Government, the States and national associations of local authorities.

The central task of provenance research is the examination of museum collections for “looted art” – to be more precise for cultural assets that were appropriated as a result of persecution. This refers to cultural assets seized by the Nazis (Nazi confiscated art), cultural assets and objects appropriated from colonial contexts as well as the looting of cultural assets in the Soviet Occupation Zone and the GDR.

From July 2010 to September 2022, four provenance research projects were realized at the 3Landesmuseen Braunschweig:
 

• Provenance research projects of the 3Landesmuseen funded by the German Lost Art Foundation:

• 2010 Individual Project Herzog Anton Ulrich Museum (German link) (acquisitions before 1945)
• 2014/2015 Individual Project of the Braunschweigisches Landesmseum (German link) (acquisitions before 1945)
• 2016/2019 Joint Project Braunschweigisches Landesmuseum, Herzog Anton Ulrich Museum, Städtisches Museum Braunschweig (German link) (acquisitions before and after 1945)

• 3Landesmuseen-project funded by the State of Lower Saxony:

• 2019/2022 Joint project of the Braunschweigisches Landesmuseum, Herzog Anton Ulrich Museum, Staatliches Naturhistorisches Museum Braunschweig

Continuing these projects, the provenance research at the 3Landesmuseen Braunschweig currently focuses on acquisitions since 1945, on acquisitions from art dealers and collections, on Judaica, on colonial contexts – above all with regard to human remains – as well as on collection history and contextual research, particularly in connection with the Brunswick collectors Otto Ralfs, Galka Emmy Scheyer, Erich Scheyer, Karl Steinacker and the Society of the Friends of Young Art.

The 3Landesmuseen Braunschweig are regionally connected through their membership in the Netzwerk Provenienzforschung in Niedersachsen (German link). The international and national link is guaranteed by the membership of the project leader in the Research Association for Provenance Research.

Please click on this link to access the objects from our collections that have already been digitized and put online.