1109 5th Ave at 92nd St
New York, NY 10128
212.423.3200
info@thejm.org
In October of 2000, the American Alliance of Museums (AAM), the Association of Art Museum Directors (AAMD) and the Presidential Advisory Commission on Holocaust Assets in the United States (PCHA) agreed upon a standard procedure for presenting provenance information on Nazi-era objects to the public.
In compliance with the AAM criteria, the Jewish Museum is researching the provenance, or history of ownership for paintings and Judaica that fall within the following criteria:
This site will be updated in installments as new information is discovered and documentation and images are digitized. Currently, the information presented on this website includes paintings and Judaica with gaps in provenance as well as paintings and Judaica with complete provenance. As always, the Museum's archival collection records are open to serious researchers by appointment. For any information or queries about this Provenance Research Project list, please see Contact Information.
We hope that this material will be helpful in the identification and restitution of works of art that may have been misappropriated during the Nazi era. The Museum also welcomes any provenance related information that the users of this site may be able to provide.
As the works are identified, they are physically examined for markings that would be helpful in determining provenance. The documentation of these works are verified using the following methods:
When no signature appears on the work, primary resources are used to identify the maker. If a definitive answer is unavailable the artist/maker is referred to as “Unknown.”
Primary titles and known original language or alternate titles are listed.
Whenever possible, the execution date of the painting is taken directly from the physical work. If the date does not appear in the artist's hand on the work, the artist's life dates along with an examination of his body of work are used to determine an approximate date. An execution date determined in this manner will appear in parentheses. Example: (1946)
Physical examination determined this criteria.
Dimensions listed on this web-site refer to unframed measurements posted as height followed by width.
Owners are listed in chronological order with the earliest known owner first. The owner's name is followed by their place of residence and the date(s) of ownership are enclosed in parentheses. Example: John Doe, New York, N.Y. (1930-d.1970)
Possible owners are prefaced by a question mark. Imprecise information is enclosed in brackets. Direct transfers between owners is noted with a semi-colon. If a direct transfer did not occur or the type of transfer is unknown, the owners are separated by a period.
If you have any questions or information to provide on the listed works, please contact: provenance@thejm.org
Collections Manager
Provenance Research Project
The Jewish Museum
1109 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10128
Inscription
LL in graphite: "16/50"
Acquisition
Gift of Alex Schmelzer and Lisa Rotmil
Provenance
?. Alex Schmelzer (until 2006)
Date Made
c. 1945
Signed
Yes
Marks
"1944" verso, LR corner in graphite "Jean Fautrier" verso, LR corner in graphite "10" verso, LL in graphite
Inscription
Verso, lower edge, in ink: "A Walkowitz 1932" Verso, UR, in ink: "20"
Acquisition
Gift of Muriel and Howard Friedman
Provenance
?.[Harbor Gallery, Cold Spring Harbor, NY]; sold to Muriel Friedman, 1960s; donated to TJM, 2008
Date Made
1932
Signed
Yes
Marks
Label "Number 359 / 'FISHERMEN' / Abraham Walkowitz / (1880-1965) / Watercolor, 22 x 30" typed "AMERICAN ART SINCE 1950" printed on verso, removed from old frame Label "x180 / Harbor Gallery / MY 2-9526 / Main Street, Cold Spring Harbor, L. I. / ARTIST Walkowitz / TITLE Fisherman / MEDIUM / PRICE" printed and handwritten in ink on verso, removed from old frame Label "[illegible] STREET, NEW YORK / [illegible]-68-60-2 / NAME OF ARTIST WALKOWITZ, ABRAHAM / TITLE 'THE FISHERMEN' / MEDIUM Watercolor / SIZE 22 x 30 PRICE [illegible]" printed, typed, and handwritten in ink on verso, removed from old frame
Acquisition
Gift of Hannah and Walter Flegenheimer
Provenance
the artist (until 1930s; sold to Flegenheimer Family); the Flegenheimer family, Heilbronn, Germany and United States, 1930s; donated to the Jewish Museum by Hannah and Walter Flegenheimer, 2002
Date Made
early 1930s
Marks
Maker's mark: "G" over downward-pointing triangle of 10 dots Hallmarks: Crown and crescent; "835" [See images in Media tab]
Inscription
None
Acquisition
Gift of the Renee and Chaim Gross Foundation
Provenance
the artist; Chaim Gross, by 1967 (until d. 1991); Renee and Chaim Gross Foundation, until 2008; donated to TJM
Date Made
1926
Signed
Yes
Marks
Label "WHITNEY MUSEUM OF ART / 945 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10021 / Artist Raphael Soyer / Title Dancing Lesson / Date 1926 / Catalogue No. 1 / Lender Renee and Chaim Gross / Soyer / Exhibition RAPHAEL SOYER EXHIBITION / OCTOBER 25-DECEMBER 3, 1967." printed on verso stretcher, UL corner Label "HAHN BROS. INC. / FINE ARTS DIVISION / 571 Riverside Drive, N.Y.C. 10031 / (212) 926 1505 / Floor / Chaim / Gross / Room / 10750 / Jewish / Gal[?] / PIECE / #21" printed on verso stretcher, UL Label "the Barbican / art / Gallery / exhibition / Chagal-Kitaj / catalogue number / 313 / artist Raphael Soyer / Title and date / The dancing lesson / owner Renee + Chaim Gross / #82 / Barbican Art Gallery / Barbican Centre / London EC2Y BDS / 01 638 4141" printed with handwritten notes in ink, on verso stretcher, UR Label " The Jewish Museum / New York / No. 239 / JEWISH EXPERIENCE IN THE ART OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY / Exhibition: / Loc. ___ / Date: 10/14/75 - 1/25/76 / Crate 2nd B / Artist: Soyer, R., / Title: DANCING LESSON / Lender M/M Chaim Gross" typed on verso stretcher, UR Label "The Jewish Museum / 1865 Broadway / 4th Floor / New York / New York 10023 / L1991-2.26 / Raphael Soyer, Dancing Lesson / Lender: Mr. and Mrs. Chaim Gross / PAINTING A PLACE IN AMERICA: JEWISH ARTISTS IN NEW YORK, 1900-1945" printed on verso stretcher, CL Sticker "44" in ink on verso stretcher, CL Label "Nassau County Museum of Art, One Museum Drive, / Roslyn Harbor, NY 11576 (516) 484 9338 / Loan #21.1994.3 / Raphael Soyer / DANCING LESSON, 1926 / Oil on canvas, 24" x 20" / Collection Mrs. Renee Gross, Promised Gift to the Jewish / Museum / AMERICAN REALISM BETWEEN THE WARS / April 3, 1994 - June 5, 1994" printed on verso backboard, UR Label "FORUM / GALLERY / 745 Fifth Avenue at 57th Street / New York, New York 10151 / EXHIBITION: / RAPHAEL SOYER: / Twenty Great Paintings / January 19 - March 4, 1995 / Raphael Soyer / Dancing Lesson, 1926 / oil on canvas / 24 x 20" / CG #2602" printed and typed on verso backboard, UR Label "NASSAU COUNTY MUSEUM OF ART / Dance, Dance, Dance / June 11-Sept. 17, 2000 / Raphael Soyer / DANCING LESSON, 1926 / oil on canvas/ Renee Gross / 128.20001" printed on verso backboard, UR 2 Labels " FORUM GALLERY / 745 Fifth Avenue at 57th Street, New York, New York, 10151 / CG4178 / Raphael Soyer / Dancing Lesson, 1926, Oil on canvas / 24 x 20 / Raphael Soyer: Finding America / January 28-March 5, 2005" printed on verso backboard, LR
Inscription
Back, LR, stamped/incised: "Alexis Rudier / Fondeur. Paris" Base, underside, LC stamped, in ink: "Made in France" Base, underside, LC circular stamped twice: "Do??anes / Exposition / Paris" Base, underside, LR, label: "1"
Acquisition
Purchase: Gift of Sol and Ethel Poler
Provenance
The sitter, Peretz Hirshbein (until d. 1948); his son, Omus Hirschbein, New York, New York (until 2003)
Date Made
1924
Signed
Yes
Marks
None
Inscription
None
Acquisition
Purchase: Gift of Mildred and George Weissman Philanthropic Fund of the Jewish Communal Fund
Provenance
the artist, until his arrest by the Nazis on June 20, 1944 (works abandoned in his studio 23, rue Général Gratry in Brussels, Belgium); Willy Billestraet, Brussels (Billestraet’s father was Nussbaum's landlord), until 1984; sold to Kulturegeschichtliches Museum, Osnabrück, Germany, (until 1985); sold to TJM
Date Made
c. 1944
Signed
Yes
Marks
None
Inscription
None
Acquisition
Gift of Martin Davis
Provenance
the artist; Martin Davis, the artist's son, New York, NY (until 1984)
Date Made
c. 1942
Signed
Yes
Marks
"6" BR label on frame in print
Inscription
None
Acquisition
Gift of the Muriel and William Rand Collection
Provenance
the artist. [Galerie Bernheim-Jeune, Paris (probably by 1929)]. Albert Sarraut, Paris. [?Galerie Paul Petrides, Paris]; sold to Stephen Hahn Gallery, New York (by 1961); sold to William Rand, New York (until 1994)
Date Made
1929
Signed
Yes
Marks
"DOUANES / EXPOSITION / PARIS" stamped within a circle shape, on verso stretcher, UL "DOUANES / CENTRES / EXPORTATION / PARIS" stamped within a circle shape, on verso stretcher, LL Label "1202." typed, on verso stretcher, UL Label "GALERIE CHARPENTIER / 76, RUE DU FG SAINT-HONORE PARIS / Anjou 57-61 - 34-82 / FIGURES NUES / D'ÉCOLE FRANÇAISE / 1953" printed, on verso stretcher, UC "11 E / 26461" in ink, verso stretcher, CL Label "NASSAU COUNTY MUSEUM OF ART / European Art Between the World Wars / May 9-August 1, 2004 / Jules Pascin / Femme assise (seated woman) 1929 / oil on canvas / The Jewish Museum / 74.2004.2" printed, on verso stretcher, CR Label "The Jewish Museum / 1109 Fifth Avenue / New York / New York 10128 / L1993-3.7 / Jules Pascin, Untitled (nude woman) / Lender: William Rand / COLLECTING FOR THE 21ST CENTURY” typed, on verso frame, UR "PHOTO" stamped on verso stretcher, center "ce ableau doit etre verni apres Juillet" in graphite, on verso stretcher, center
Acquisition
Gift of Charlotte Levite in memory of Julius Nassau
Provenance
the artist; Johanna Ey; sold to father of Charlotte Levite; Charlotte Levite, New York, NY (until 1990)
Date Made
1926
Signed
Yes
Marks
[Painting has been relined, original canvas back no longer visible.]
Inscription
Verso, LL corner, in ink: "Self / Brussels, 1923" Verso, LL corner, in graphite: "CU 84"
Acquisition
Gift of the artist
Provenance
the artist, until 1987; donated to TJM
Date Made
1923
Signed
Yes
Marks
None
Inscription
Verso UC in pencil: "sketch of a head"
Acquisition
Purchase: Gift of Mildred and George Weissman Philanthropic Fund of the Jewish Communal Fund
Provenance
the artist, until his arrest by the Nazis on June 20, 1944 (works abandoned in his studio 23, rue Général Gratry in Brussels, Belgium); Willy Billestraet, Brussels (Billestraet’s father was Nussbaum's landlord), until 1984; sold to Kulturegeschichtliches Museum, Osnabrück, Germany (until 1985); sold to TJM
Date Made
c. 1944
Signed
Yes
Marks
None
Inscription
None
Acquisition
Gift of Tonya J. Warner in memory of Dr. Allan H. Warner
Provenance
the artist; Losou Peyrè-Blondel, the artist's widow, France (before 1985; sold to Tonya J. Warner); Tonya J. Warner, New York, NY (by 1985-1987)
Date Made
c. 1942
Signed
Yes
Marks
None
Inscription
LL stretcher bar in ink, "20 BT" Left stretcher bar in ink, "Goldfish"
Acquisition
Gift of Kitty and Harold J. Ruttenberg
Provenance
the artist; sold to Helena Rubinstein, New York, NY (by December, 1928); sold to Jacob Weintraub, New York, NY (by May 1966); traded to Joseph Stieglitz, Tel-Aviv, Israel; sold to Harold Ruttenberg, New York, NY (November 1968 until 1985)
Date Made
1928
Signed
Yes
Marks
Label "The Jewish Museum 199/ New York/ JEWISH EXPERIENCE IN THE ART OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY/ 2nd/ G/ 2/ 10/14/75 - 1/25/76/ R. RUBIN/ ARAB FISHERMAN/ M/M Harold J. Ruttenberg" BB UL Label "the Barbican Art Gallery/ #32 9/ Barbican Art Gallery/ London EC2Y 8DS/ 01 638 4141/ Chagall to Kitaj/ 289/ Reuven Rubin/ Arab Fisherman 1928/ The Jewish Museum,/ New York" UL Label "Ultra Violet Filter/ Plexiglas/ clean with warm soapy water/ using soft cloth" UC Label "RUBIN MUSEUM FOUNDATION/ 14 Bialik St. Tel Aviv/ Home Visit - Rubin's Paintings from Public and Private Collections/ 25.4.98 - 1.9.98/ Reuven Rubin/ The Goldfish Vendor, 1982/ Coll. of the Jewish Museum, N.Y./ 843 98/520" [partially in Hebrew] LL "4617 Semicolor (?) WASH Phil FELD" on stretcher LC in ink
Inscription
2003-21a: Partly obliterated in Hebrew: "For the rest of ... David Ohayon." 2003-21b: Hebrew text now obliterated
Acquisition
Gift of Eli Wilner in honor of Robert Hurst
Provenance
?. Eli Wilner, New York (purchased in Morocco; by 2000, until 2003)
Date Made
1925-50
Marks
Maker's mark: Ram's head to right in rectangle with circles on corners [after 1925]
Inscription
Verso top stretcher, in marker and pen: "Ex-JM 5-79b '79-89"
Acquisition
Gift of Dr. Irma Rosenstein
Provenance
?Adolf Tramer; his daughter, Irma Rosenstein, White Plains, NY (until 1979)
Date Made
1922
Signed
Yes
Marks
None
Acquisition
The Rose and Benjamin Mintz Collection
Provenance
?Rose and Benjamin Mintz Collection, Warsaw, Poland; sent to the United States for consideration to be exhibited in the 1939 New York World’s Fair, but instead was exhibited in part at the Jewish Theological Seminary, 1939; sold by Rose Mintz to the Jewish Museum, 1947
Date Made
1933
Inscription
None
Acquisition
Gift of Robert and Cheryl Fishko
Provenance
?. Robert Fishko (until 2005)
Date Made
1931
Signed
Yes
Marks
Label "Forum Gallery / Raphael Soyer: Finding America/January 28-March 5, 2005" on verso, RC Label "Forum Gallery / 8069 Beverly Boulevard / Los Angeles, CA 90048 / Raphael Soyer / "Under the Williamsburg Brides," 1931 / Oil on canvas / 23 1/2 x 19 1/2 inches / LC 340" on verso, UC edge of frame Label "ARTIST: Raphael Soyer 1899-, STOCK NO. / TITLE: Under the Williamsburg Bridge, 1931 /SIZE: 24x20 inches / MEDIUM: Oil on canvas, SIGNED: lo..." on verso, UC edge of frame Label "Forum Gallery / Title: Under the Williamsburg Bridge /Artist: Raphael Soyer /Medium: O/C/Masonite, Size: 23 1/2x191/2" / Date: 1931, FO#111136" on verso, UC edge of frame Label "Forum Gallery / Raphael Soyer (1899-1987): / American Master / February 10-March 4, 2000" on verso, UR edge of frame "?21.499" in red paint on verso, lower left corner of frame
Inscription
Verso top stretcher in marker: "5a-79b / JM / '79-5 / U7225 [inverted] / JM 5-79a
Acquisition
Gift of Dr. Irma Rosenstein
Provenance
?the sitter; his daughter, Irma Rosenstein, White Plains, NY (until 1979)
Date Made
1927
Signed
Yes
Marks
None
Inscription
Verso, on canvas in black paint: "Mané-Katz"
Acquisition
Gift of Meyer Schapiro
Provenance
?the artist. Meyer Shapiro, New York, NY (until 1995)
Date Made
mid-20th century
Signed
Yes
Marks
None
Inscription
Verso, LL in graphite "Pianist K"
Acquisition
Bequest of Abraham Aaroni
Provenance
?. Abraham Aaroni (purchased from a Berlin art gallery, c.1945; bequeathed to TJM)
Date Made
1922
Signed
Yes
Marks
"506" [in half circle] Verso, LL in graphite