Aim and object of provenance research is to study the history of artworks and to document ownership structure and change of hands in a preferably unbroken sequence. As a public cantonal institution the Art Museum Graubünden not only bears the responsibility but also has the moral obligation to know the provenance of the artworks in its own collection. With its provenance research the Art Museum Graubünden seeks to create transparency and to gain new scientific insights.

 

For the second time now the Federal Office for Culture (Bundesamt für Kultur BAK) is supporting provenance research by Swiss museums. Starting in January 2019 to the end of September 2020 the project supported by the BAC for the first time enables a systematic appraisal of provenances of around 73 works, which were added to the collection of the Art Museum Graubünden starting in 1933. In addition, clarification is necessary in the case of different deposits as to whether there is a possible need for an in-depth provenance research. The results will be published online in the collection catalogue after completion of the research.

FINAL REPORT

Thanks to further support by the Bundesamt für Kultur (BAK) the Art Museum Graubünden will, in the years 2021 and 2022, continue its research concerning the provenance of 148 additional works, which were added to its collection (purchase, donation or deposit) during the period of 1933-1945 and to the collection Werner Coninx. Aim of this second research project is to clarify as thoroughly as possible the provenance of these works, which were chosen carefully according to their historic significance and their importance for the Art Museum Graubünden, the canton Graubünden and Switzerland. Upon completion of the research the results will be published online via the collection catalogue.

Mandate for the provenance research at the Graubünden Museum of Fine Arts:
Dr. Carolin Lange and Dr. Thomas Schmutz, Lange & Schmutz Provenienzrecherchen GmbH 

 

Kindly supported by «SWISSLOS/Kulturförderung, Kanton Graubünden».

 

Information: Dr. Nicole Seeberger