Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen

Museumpark 18 3015 CX Rotterdam www.boijmans.nl

Investigation results

This museum has 27 objects with a potentially problematic provenance.

Result of this investigation

In 2011 and 2012 the museum conducted extensive research on the provenance of works of art acquired in the periods 1933-1940 and 1948-present. It focused both on works of art owned by the Municipality of Rotterdam and managed by the museum, as well as works on loan from the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen Foundation. Excluding works made after 1945, acquired before 1933, or bought directly from the artists or their families, the following numbers of objects remained:

c. 50,000 works from the Print collection
3789 works from the Drawings collection
908 works from the Applied Arts and Design collection
678 works from the Modern and Contemporary art and City Collection
602 works from the Old Masters collection

Regarding the prints, drawings and applied arts, most have little or no uniquely identifiable characteristics. The researchers therefore approached this area more globally, focusing on determining the direct provenance. For the sub-collections Modern and Contemporary art, the City Collection and the Old Masters, researchers also looked further into the ownership history, going back to 1933.

For every sub-collection researchers examined the provenance of individual art works thoroughly, based on information present at the museum: inventory cards and -books, acquisition records, annual reports, object files and the TMS registration system. In addition, as many external sources as possible were consulted, including exhibition and collection catalogues, and other relevant publications. Information from previously conducted restitution research was also taken into account. While the museum has always acquired works of art in good faith, new questions with respect to provenance can nevertheless arise as a result of this research.

The museum was not able to establish the direct provenance of all the investigated works. These were mainly works of art with little or no uniquely identifiable characteristics. The museum has started an investigation into external archives regarding works with uniquely identifiable characteristics of which the direct provenance could not be established through the museum’s own documentation.

It was not possible to establish the complete provenance of all the works in the Modern and Contemporary art collection, the City Collection and the Old Master collection. In most cases, the provenance reconstruction did not raise questions. Intense investigation is being conducted at the RKD (The Netherlands Institute for Art History), the Rotterdam City Archives, on various websites and with heirs of possible former owners regarding a selection of items with a conspicuous provenance. In some cases researchers found evidence of a possible problematic provenance.

Results 2011 - 2013

The Virgin and Child holding an Apple by the Master of the Legend of St Mary Magdalen was auctioned in Milan on 21 November 1932. It is not known by whom the painting was bought. In 1937, the work was in the possession of Dr Hans Wendland, a German art dealer who is known to have dealt in looted art. Between 1938 and 1958, the painting was owned by D.G. van Beuningen, whose collection was acquired by the museum. At present it cannot be ruled out that the painting came into Wendland’s possession in an improper manner.
In 1936, the Lamentation by Hans Memling was owned by Arthur Goldschmidt, a Jewish art dealer who had fled from Germany and whose name is associated with the traffic in looted art. Until 1917 the painting had been owned by Richard von Kaufmann of Berlin. It is not known when and from whom Goldschmidt acquired the painting. Between 1936 and 1958 it was part of D.G. van Beuningen’s collection, with which it subsequently entered the collection of the museum.
Since 1942, there have been seven maiolica items (first on loan, later as a donation) from the former Pringsheim collection in the museum. In 1939, Alfred and Hedwig Pringsheim, a Jewish couple from Germany, needed to sell the remainder of their collection not yet taken by the Gestapo. A part of the money was used to finance their escape to Switzerland. Through the auctions in London the maiolica pieces found their way into the collection of Jaap Bastert and Iet van Schaardenburg, who sold them to the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen Foundation.

Research results 2014-2018

In the past years the museum continued investigating the provenance of works of art acquired in the periods 1933-1940 and 1948-present. Acquisitions made in the period 1940-1948 were also reviewed. To date, this research has uncovered 18 objects with a possibly problematic background.

These objects are on the website because there are indications in their provenance suggesting possible forced loss of property in the period 1933-1945. The publication of these works on the websites of Museum Acquisitions From 1933 Onwards and of the museum is part of the museum's ongoing provenance investigation. The museum hopes that in this way people will come forward with additional information about the provenance.

The museum's policy regarding claims by third parties is to present the matter to the Advisory Committee on the Assessment of Restitution Applications for Items of Cultural Value and the Second World War (in short: Restitutions Committee) for binding opinion. Additional information about current and concluded restitution requests can be found at the Portal Provenance Research on the museum's website.

The website also pays particular attention to the claims made by C.F. (Christine) Koenigs since 1997 against the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, the Municipality of Rotterdam and the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen Foundation.

Information from previous research (report Museum Acquisitions 1940-1948)

Between 1998 and 2001 the acquisitions made during the period 1940-1948 were investigated. Commissioned by the Municipality of Rotterdam, the results were recorded in a report by historian Dr A.J. Bonke (1998). Bonke also wrote various other reports on specific works of art or sub-collections, including the report about the former Koenigs collection in the museum (2001).

Anita Hopmans wrote an extensive explanation on the NMV final report by E. Muller from 1999 in 2006. This resulted in a publication from the series ‘Boijmans Studies’: A. Hopmans: Verwerving en restitutie: de zaak Toorop / Acquisition and restitution: the Toorop Case, Rotterdam 2008. This publication focuses on the controversial provenance of a drawing and a painting by Jan Toorop. Both works have been restituted: the drawing in 2001, the painting in 2009.

Lastly, on its own initiative, the museum restituted two drawings by Marius Bauer (2000), a painting by Nicolaas van der Waay (2001) and a drawing by George Hendrik Breitner (2001) following the research results of 1998-1999. A painting by Dirck van Delen was restituted through mediation of the French State.

More information on the research results of the project ‘Museum Acquisitions 1940-1948’ and the restitution cases/requests can be found at the Portal Provenance Research on the museum’s website.
View the reaction of Boijmans Van Beuningen Museum in the report Museum Acquisitions 1940-1948 which was published in 1999 in response to the previous museum research.

View reaction of Boijmans Van Beuningen Museum in the report Museale acquisitions 1940-1948 which was published in 1999 in response to the previous museum research.

About this museum and its collection

The museum is one of the oldest in the country, having been founded in 1849. Major examples of Dutch and European sculpture, applied arts and design survey art from the early Middle Ages to the twenty-first century. The collection includes work by old masters and modern artists (amongst others Bruegel, Rembrandt, Monet, Van Gogh, Mondrian and Dalí).

Objects

The Virgin and Child holding an Apple

Artist/ Creator: Master of the Legend of St Mary Magdalen
Title: The Virgin and Child holding an Apple
Year: 1490-1510
Technique: Oil on panel
Size: 25 x 18 cm
Inventorynumber: 2481 (OK)
Category: Paintings
Museum: Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen

Investigation results

Conclusion

No information is available about when Dr Hans Wendland acquired the painting or the previous owner.

Explanation

In 1937, the work was in the...