Tracking Looted Art 2: Sothebys Sales of Restituted Artworks as Data

The provenances of artworks restituted to Jewish families  plundered by Nazis contain valuable information for the art historian and Holocaust scholar.

Questions:

• Which transactions occur between the seizure/sale under the Nazis and the restitution?
• Which names appear in these transactions?
• How often do they appear?

Part of the series:  Tracking Nazi-looted art dealers: Restitutions as data

This post looks a a simple method for identifying the names of these buyers and sellers for further analysis. In this example, we look at the provenances of artworks sold at Sothebys after they were restituted to their original owners or their heirs.

Van Gogh in the Nazi Era Provenance Internet Portal

The Nazi Era Provenance Internet Portal, published by the American Alliance of Museums, currently lists 29,874 objects from 179 participating museums. 

A search for Van Gogh returns 73 objects listed by US museums.

How many of these artworks have complete, unambiguous and accurate provenance for the years 1933-1945?

Name Of Artist Maker

Object Title

Museum Name

Accession_Num

Gogh, Vincent van

Beach at Scheveningen

Baltimore Museum of Art

1950.301

Gogh, Vincent van

A Pair of Boots

Baltimore Museum of Art

1950.302

Gogh, Vincent van

Flowers in a Vase

Baltimore Museum of Art

1950.381

Gogh, Vincent van

The Poplars at Saint-Remy

Cleveland Museum of Art

1958.32

Gogh, Vincent van

Sheaves of Wheat

Dallas Museum of Art

1985. R.80

Gogh, Vincent van

Riverbank in Springtime

Dallas Museum of Art

1961.99

Gogh, Vincent van

The Diggers

Detroit Institute of Arts

70.158

Gogh, Vincent van

Irises

J. Paul Getty Museum

90.PA.20

Gogh, Vincent van

Irises

Metropolitan Museum of Art

58.187

Gogh, Vincent van

Olive Orchard

Metropolitan Museum of Art

1998.325.1

Gogh, Vincent van

Peasant Woman Cooking by a Fireplace

Metropolitan Museum of Art

1984.393

Gogh, Vincent van

Self-Portrait with a Straw Hat (obverse: The Potato Peeler)

Metropolitan Museum of Art

67.187.70a

Gogh, Vincent van

Self-portrait with a Straw Hat;(verso) The Potato Peeler

Metropolitan Museum of Art

67.187.70ab

Gogh, Vincent van

Shoes

Metropolitan Museum of Art

1992.374

Gogh, Vincent van

The Potato Peeler (reverse: Self-Portrait with a Straw Hat)

Metropolitan Museum of Art

67.187.70b

Gogh, Vincent van

Vase of Roses

Metropolitan Museum of Art

1993.400.5

Gogh, Vincent van

Enclosed Field with Ploughman

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

1993.37

Gogh, Vincent van

Houses at Auvers

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

48.549

Gogh, Vincent van

Lullaby: Madame Augustine Roulin Rocking a Cradle (La Berceuse)

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

48.548

Gogh, Vincent van

Postman Joseph Roulin

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

35.1982

Gogh, Vincent van

Ravine

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

52.1524

Gogh, Vincent van

Weaver

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

58.356

Gogh, Vincent van

Portrait of Gysbertus de Groot

Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

37-1

Gogh, Vincent van

Restaurant Rispal at Asnieres (Le restaurant Rispal a Asnieres)

Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

2015.13.10

Gogh, Vincent van

Rain

Philadelphia Museum of Art

1986-26-36

Gogh, Vincent van

Still Life with a Bouquet of Daisies

Philadelphia Museum of Art

1978-1-33

Gogh, Vincent van

Portrait of Madame Augustine Roulin and Baby Marcelle

Philadelphia Museum of Art

1950-92-22

Gogh, Vincent van

The Road Menders

Phillips Collection

0799

Gogh, Vincent van

House at Auvers

Phillips Collection

0797

Gogh, Vincent van

Vineyards at Auvers

Saint Louis Art Museum

8:1953

Gogh, Vincent van

Still Life, Basket of Apples

Saint Louis Art Museum

43:1972

Gogh, Vincent van

Head of a Peasant Woman

Saint Louis Art Museum

90:2000

Gogh, Vincent van

Factories at Asnières, Seen from the Quai de Clichy

Saint Louis Art Museum

579:1958

Gogh, Vincent van

Stairway at Auvers

Saint Louis Art Museum

1:1935

Gogh, Vincent van

Orphan Man Holding a Cup

Smith College Museum of Art

SC 1984-30

Gogh, Vincent van

Orphan Man with Walking Stick

Smith College Museum of Art

SC 1996-3

Gogh, Vincent van

Wheat Fields with Reaper, Auvers

Toledo Museum of Art

1935.4

Gogh, Vincent van

House at Auvers

Toledo Museum of Art

1935.5

Gogh, Vincent van

The Zandemennik House

National Gallery of Art

1991.217.66

Gogh, Vincent van

The Magrot House, Cuesmes

National Gallery of Art

1991.217.65

Gogh, Vincent van

Old Man Carrying a Bucket

National Gallery of Art

1991.217.67

Gogh, Vincent van

Man Polishing a Boot

National Gallery of Art

1991.217.68

Gogh, Vincent van

Harvest--The Plain of La Crau

National Gallery of Art

1992.51.10

Gogh, Vincent van

Ploughman in the Fields near Arles

National Gallery of Art

1992.51.6

Gogh, Vincent van

Postcard with Two Peasants Digging

National Gallery of Art

1995.47.44

Gogh, Vincent van

The Harvest

National Gallery of Art

1985.64.91

Gogh, Vincent van

Green Wheat Fields, Auvers

National Gallery of Art

2013.122.1

Gogh, Vincent van

Self-Portrait

National Gallery of Art

1998.74.5

Gogh, Vincent van

Flower Beds in Holland

National Gallery of Art

1983.1.21

Gogh, Vincent van

Farmhouse in Provence

National Gallery of Art

1970.17.34

Gogh, Vincent van

Landscape

National Gallery of Art

1969.14.1

Gogh, Vincent van

Girl in White

National Gallery of Art

1963.10.30