Gaps and Discoveries: Provenance Research at the Wallraf-Richartz-Museum & Fondation Corboud 
The Wallraf-Richartz-Museum & Fondation Corboud has long been at the forefront of provenance research, committed to uncovering the often complex and incomplete histories behind the artworks in its collection. The museum has undertaken extensive research since Germany –together with over forty other countries— signed the Washington Conference on Holocaust-Era Assets in 1998. This case study of a restituted drawing illustrates how research can reveal the intertwined fates of art and their collectors, affected by Nazi persecution. It illustrates a broader approach to provenance research, the challenges posed by incomplete records and gaps, and the profound impact that restitution can have on the families affected by Nazi persecution. There are different methods to uncover hidden histories, depending on the complexities and challenges that arise. In some cases, there is even a very slim chance that new material emerges.

Britta Olényi von Husen

Department for Arts and Culture, City of Cologne
Britta Olényi von Husen works for the museums of Cologne as a provenance specialist since 2012. Together with her colleague Marcus Leifeld, she is responsible for conducting provenance research and coordinating restitution matters in nine municipal museums, such as the Wallraf-Richartz-Museum & Fondation Corboud, Museum Ludwig, and the Schnütgen Museum. Previously, she worked at Sotheby’s in various departments, including the Restitution Department in London from 2006 to 2011. She also joined the research group for the “Art trouvé Hildebrand Gurlitt”, conducting provenance research on behalf of the German Lost Art Foundation and the Kunstmuseum Bern.