Showing posts with label WII. Show all posts
Showing posts with label WII. Show all posts

Apr 7, 2017

Provenance at the Philadelphia Museum of Art

The Philadelphia Museum of Art Provides the Following List of Collection Works That Changed Ownership In Continental Europe, 1933-1945 in PDF format


See also: Online Records with Provenance  and the Nazi Era Provenance Internet Portal for the Philadelphia Museum of Art

"Philadelphia Museum of Art List of Collection Works That Changed Ownership In Continental Europe, 1933-1945

The information on these pages represents our current state of knowledge and will be updated as research progresses. We welcome any additional information that would help complete or clarify the provenance of these works, at provenance@philamuseum.org.

Jean (Hans) Arp, French (born Germany), 1886 - 1966 Vase—Bust 1930 Wood 12 1/4 x 9 3/4 x 2 3/8 inches (31.1 x 24.8 x 6 cm) A. E. Gallatin Collection, 1947 Provenance A. E. Gallatin, New York, purchased from the artist, summer 1933 [1]; gift to PMA, 1947. 1. See Gail Stavitsky, The Development, Institutionalization, and Impact of the A. E. Gallatin Collection of Modern Art [Ph. D. diss., New York University], 1990, v. 1, p. 248, and v. 6, p. 4. The acquisition was announced in a Gallery of Living Art press release, December 9, 1933.

Jean (Hans) Arp, French (born Germany), 1886 - 1966 Constellation 1932 Wood 27 1/2 x 33 3/8 x 1 1/2 inches (69.9 x 84.8 x 3.8 cm) The Louise and Walter Arensberg Collection, 1950 1950-134-2 Provenance Marcel Duchamp (1887-1968), Paris; sold to Louise and Walter C. Arensberg, Los Angeles, 1937 [1]; gift to PMA, 1950. 1. See letter from Duchamp to Arensbergs, September 8, 1951 (PMA Arensberg Archives, CA Use Tax file), stating that he sold them the work from his private collection. A series of letters from Galka Scheyer in Hollywood to Hans Arp in 1933-1934 discuss a relief referred to only as "Configuration in White" or "das weisse Relief" purchased by the Arensbergs through Scheyer. Since "Constellation" is the only work by Arp in the Arensberg collection as bequeathed to the PMA in 1950, either the Arensbergs acquired a different work of his and subsequently sold or traded it, or Duchamp was mistaken and "Constellation" was purchased through Scheyer in 1933.

Georges Braque, French, 1882 - 1963 The Cup 1917-18 Oil and graphite on cardboard Sheet: 25 x 18 7/8 inches (63.5 x 47.9 cm) The A. E. Gallatin Collection, 1952 1952-61-6 Provenance A. E. Gallatin, New York, 1936, probably acquired directly from the artist [1]; bequest to PMA, 1952. 1. See Braque's dedication on the front of the painting "à M. Gallatin/ G. Braque/ 1918", and also Gallatin's Museum of Living Art press release of October 27, 1936 stating that the new acquisition came from Braque's studio: the artist "for many years refused to part with it. It hung always over the door of his studio in Paris, and not until this year could he be persuaded to allow it to pass into an American museum."

Georges Braque, French, 1882 - 1963 Figure 1920 Plaster 8 1/4 x 3 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches (21 x 8.9 x 8.9 cm) The A. E. Gallatin Collection, 1952 1952-61-10 Provenance With Galerie Simon, Paris; sold to A. E. Gallatin, 1933 [1]; bequest to PMA, 1952. 1. As per letter of September 18, 1987, from Maurice Jardot, Galerie Louise Leiris, to Gail Stavitsky; see Stavitsky, The Development, Institutionalization, and Impact of the A. E. Gallatin Collection of Modern Art [Ph.D. dissertation, New York University], 1990, v. 6, p. 38.

Georges Braque, French, 1882 - 1963 A Teapot and a Plate of Cheese 1942 Oil on canvas 13 5/16 x 21 13/16 inches (33.8 x 55.4 cm) The Louis E. Stern Collection, 1963 1963-181-4 Provenance Private collection, Lyon, France (?), or from the artist? [1]; Mr. Poyet [probably Galerie Alfred Poyet], Paris [2]; with Sam Salz, New York, by 1952; sold to Louis E. Stern, New York, March 17, 1952 [3]; bequest to PMA, 1963. 1. The provenance provided by Salz to Stern cites the exhibition "De l'impressionisme à nos jours", Lyon, 1942. This painting was almost certainly no. 4, "Nature morte: L'heure du thÈ". Although it is not illustrated, the dimensions and placement of the signature and date match the PMA painting; moreover the Maeght catalogue does not list any other paintings matching this description other than the PMA work. The exhibition catalogue states that all of the paintings included belonged to Lyonnais collectors. 2. The provenance provided by Salz to Stern simply states "From the artist"; however, the Maeght catalogue, Paris, 1960, no. 24, states that the painting was formerly in the collection of M[onsieur] Poyet, Paris, probably to be identified as Galerie Alfred Poyet, which dealt in modernist works in the 1940's. The Louis E. Stern Collection catalogue, PMA, 1964, no. 14, p. 180, gives the provenance as "the artist; M. Poyet, Paris; Sam Salz, New York." None mention a Lyon owner. Maurice Covo, president of Renou & Poyet, Paris, states in a letter of 27 February 2003 (curatorial file) that although his firm has been unable to locate this painting in their records, Mr. Poyet's relationship with Braque was well known, and he had occasion to buy directly from the artist. 3. Copy of dated receipt from Salz to Stern in curatorial file.