What is provenance research?
Provenance research is the history of the life of a work of art. It identifies the artist, his/her nationality, the name of the work, the size, the medium and the history of its ownership. Provenance research, as a central part of the mission of every American art museum, is a continuous process. As new information is brought to light, it is made available to the public. Some provenance research is relatively simple. For example, if a painting has had few owners and there is primary evidence of that ownership, then the provenance may be considered complete. However, it is not unusual for a work of art to have had a number of owners and to have moved frequently, from country to country and even continent to continent. To track the historic movement of works of arts, in general, and those affected by the Holocaust, in particular, requires highly trained specialists who have a working knowledge of several foreign languages and the ability to conduct research in foreign archives. In additi
