Provenance research into the Oskar Reinhart Collection “Am Römerholz”
This is a fundamental duty for museums. Provenance research helps to shed light on historical interconnections and document collections in a transparent way.
There is a particular question mark over cultural goods acquired in problematic historical contexts. This mainly applies to works with a connection to looted Nazi art or other items acquired during a historically encumbered period. The aim is to identify these holdings, categorise them and be transparent about the ensuing process.
As a federal institution, the Oskar Reinhart Collection “Am Römerholz” performs this task in close cooperation with the other Swiss federal museums. The provenance research takes place within the context of the Federal Office of Culture’s common strategy.
Previous work
Provenance research relating to Swiss federal collections was first systematically established in 1998 in a comprehensive report.
The provenance research for the Oskar Reinhart Collection “Am Römerholz” was deepened and updated in 2018. The results of this work have been published and form a important basis for further research.
Provenance research is now an inherent part of institutional work and anchored in the conceptual basis of the collection.
Current work
Provenance research is an ongoing process. New archives and sources become available, current information is reassessed and questions are refined further. The results of other research projects are also relevant.
Previous findings about the Oskar Reinhart Collection “Am Römerholz” are currently being reviewed and updated accordingly. The aim is to document the provenance of the works as completely and transparently as possible.
A current status report is currently being drawn up.
Opportunities for archiving and research
The Oskar Reinhart Collection “Am Römerholz” has extensive archive and documentation holdings with significant scope for provenance research including the historical reference library as well as the written and photographic estate of Oskar Reinhart, which notably includes letters, diaries, notebooks and other personal documents as well as photographs, negatives and glass photographic plates.
These holdings provide detailed insights into Oskar Reinhart’s collecting activities and into the art trade and practice of collecting in the first half of the 20th century. The estate archive is a meaningful reference for international provenance research.
The collection also provides access to its archive and documentation holdings to external researchers within the scope of the statutory provisions and supports academic research whenever possible. Please contact the museum if you require further information.
Documents:
Kulturgüter im Eigentum der Eidgenossenschaft: Untersuchung zum Zeitraum 1933 bis 1945. Bericht der Arbeitsgruppe des Bundesamtes für Kultur, August 1998
(cultural goods owned by the Swiss Confederation: examination of the period from 1933 to 1945. Report by the working group of the Federal Office of Culture, August 1998)
Part 1: Aktualisierung des Berichts des Bundesamtes für Kultur «Kulturgüter im Eigentum der Eidgenossenschaft: Untersuchung zum Zeitraum 1933 bis 1945», November 2018
(updated version of the Federal Office of Culture report on cultural goods owned by the Swiss Confederation: examination of the period from 1933 to 1945, November 2018)
