Provenance Research at the Staatsgalerie Stuttgart
Since 2009, the Staatsgalerie Stuttgart has been conducting research in accordance with the principles of the has been proactively and systematically researching the provenance of its collection. The focus is primarily on works of art that were created before 1945 and entered the collection after 1933.
The Staatsgalerie is one of the few museums in Germany that has established a permanent position for provenance research. Research into the provenance of a work of art is thus firmly integrated into the processes of the museum's work. Whether it is the examination of works on loan, new acquisitions for the collection or special exhibitions: for each work, documentation of all provenances is compiled as completely as possible. The research of individual works of art is always closely linked to the reappraisal of the history of the institution and the collection.
Acquisition policy of the Staatsgalerie during National Socialism
Zoom presentation (German) on the Staatsgalerie during National Socialism on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Washington Declaration.
On December 3, 1998, the Washington Declaration was signed, establishing principles regarding works of art confiscated by the National Socialists between 1933 and 1945. Since 2009, we in the Staatsgalerie have been systematically researching the provenance of our collection on this basis. To mark the 25th anniversary of the Washington Conference, the first provenances are now being published in our Digital Collection.
What was the Staatsgalerie's acquisition policy during National Socialism? Our provenance researcher Johanna Poltermann answers this question using selected examples.
Provenances online
The Staatsgalerie Stuttgart is now publishing the initial results of its provenance research in its Digital Collection. As a first step, we are going online with the acquisitions made by the Staatsgalerie between 1933 and 1945. This involves a total of 310 paintings and sculptures, whose provenances are now available online.
Restitutions
Whenever works of art that were unlawfully dispossessed during the National Socialist era are identified in the course of provenance research, the Staatsgalerie works closely with the rightful heirs to find just and fair solutions.
Since 2003, 15 paintings and drawings have been restituted, i.e. returned to the heirs.
Further information on the restitutions made so far will be available here shortly.
Permanent lenders to the Staatsgalerie such as SWR and the Freunde der Staatsgalerie e.V. have also already returned works to rightful heirs. Thanks to funding from the the systematic research of the collection holdings of the Freunde der Staatsgalerie e.V. took place from 2019 to 2022. You can find more about the project of our sponsoring association .
Lost Art
Found-Object Report
Search Requests
Like almost every museum in Germany, the Staatsgalerie records numerous war losses. During the Second World War, works of art were secured for protection in several storage locations in Baden-Württemberg. Some of the works nevertheless fell victim to the effects of the war or were unlawfully stolen from the place of removal. The Staatsgalerie has entered these wartime losses as in the Lost Art Database. Due to the insufficient sources available, the actual number of wartime losses can no longer be fully researched today. According to the current state of research, we assume more than 800 missing works of art.
Inventory books online
Since 2024, the State Gallery has been a cooperation partner of the Universitätsbibliothek Heidelberg in a large-scale digitization project. The brings together accession books and inventories from German collections and museums on a publicly accessible online platform. In a first step, our inventory books on paintings and sculptures are being published gradually, in compliance with the applicable data protection regulations.
All inventory books on paintings and sculptures (excluding loans) are already . The mostly handwritten inventories will also be made searchable in the future, thereby contributing to improvements in research on collection history, the art market, and provenance research. We are delighted to be part of this nationwide project and thus to be able to give you access to the “memory” of our collection.
Project funded by the German Lost Art Foundation has been completed
The »Dr. and Mrs. Max Stern Foundation« has been asking the Staatsgalerie since November 2022 for the return of the painting »Darstellung Christi im Tempel«, Anonym Schwäbisch, um 1470 (Inv. Nr. 2404). The provenance of the painting has not yet been adequately researched. The State of Baden-Württemberg and the Staatsgalerie are aware of their moral and ethical responsibility and wish to comply with any request for information or restitution as quickly as possible. As it was not possible to process the request promptly due to the high workload, the Staatsgalerie decided to apply to the for the necessary research to be carried out as a short-term project. Fortunately, the funding approval arrived in the summer of 2023. The aims of the short-term project were to provide comprehensive provenance research on the work and to compile a detailed provenance dossier. The scientific-based dossier that is to be compiled will form the basis for the evaluation of the restitution claim at the level of the board of the Staatsgalerie and the Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts of Baden-Württemberg. The project was completed in January 2024. The final report has been available to the German Lost Art Foundation since February 2024 and has been available on since July 2025. On the basis of the current state of research, the Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts of Baden-Württemberg has currently concluded that there has been no loss of property as a result of National Socialist persecution and that important research questions remain unanswered. Negotiations with the Dr. and Mrs. Max Stern Foundation are continuing.
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