Provenance

Producing high quality research on the objects in its collection is among LACMA’s primary responsibilities. The study of provenance—the history of an artwork’s ownership—is essential to this research. The history of an object’s movement across locations and between owners provides a fuller understanding of the object before it arrived at LACMA, as well as valuable insights into the history of art and art collecting. We seek to establish an object’s history of ownership from creation to its acquisition by the museum.

Determining an object’s provenance can be a lengthy, complex, and difficult process. Research involves physical examination of artworks for labels, inscriptions, and marks, which may indicate movement of an artwork to another owner or location. Researchers also consult museum object files and archives, as well as artist, collector, and dealer records when possible. It is not unusual for an artwork to have a long period in its ownership history that is unaccounted for. Previous owners may have sought anonymity, auction houses or dealers may not reveal their sources, or critical archival resources may have been lost, destroyed, or otherwise remain inaccessible. Research may involve consulting archives in multiple countries in multiple languages.

LACMA is engaged in long-term study of the provenance of its collection, and new information will be added to the website as our research continues. We appreciate the galleries, museums, auction houses, dealers, archives, and individuals who have assisted with this research. Every piece of information is a valuable contribution to the history of a work of art.

LACMA welcomes any information that would augment or clarify the provenance of works in our collection. Please send suggestions to provenance@lacma.org.

Note: Founded in 1910, the Los Angeles Museum of History, Science, and Art, transferred works of art to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) in 1961.

Nazi-era Provenance

In accordance with the 2001 American Alliance of Museums’ Standards Regarding the Unlawful Appropriation of Objects During the Nazi–Era (formerly Guidelines Concerning the Unlawful Appropriation of Objects During the Nazi–Era), LACMA is committed to publishing provenance information on this website regarding works of art that were created before 1946 that underwent a change of ownership between 1932 and 1946 and that were or might reasonably be thought to have been in continental Europe between those dates. Because of the widespread loss of artwork through wartime looting, Nazi confiscation, and forced sales due to persecution, particular attention is paid to changes in the ownership during this time period. Including a work on this list does not suggest a history of Nazi misappropriation; rather, it indicates that the object was in Europe during the years 1932–1946 and could have changed hands during those years.

Download a spreadsheet of the works in our Nazi–Era research project.

Provenance entries for works of art in LACMA’s Modern collection are listed in chronological order, beginning with the earliest known owner, which is often the artist’s studio. 

When known, life dates of owners are included, enclosed in (  ) parentheses. 
Dealers, auction houses or agent transactions are enclosed in  [  ] brackets. 

Relationships between owners and methods of transfers are indicated by punctuation:

  • A semicolon (;)  is used to indicate that the work passed directly between two owners (including auction houses, agents, or dealers).
  • A period (.) is used to separate two owners (including dealers, auction houses, or agents) if a direct transfer did not occur or is not known to have occurred.

In-text notes are used to document or clarify information. 

We have provided links to other websites maintained by organizations and institutions worldwide that are committed to assisting in the search and recovery of works of art lost during the Nazi–Era.

Antiquities & Archaeological Material

An important starting point for any discussion of the antiquities market is the 1970 UNESCO Convention. The Convention established essential tools and procedures to combat the illegal trafficking of antiquities, from best documentation and records-keeping practices, to guidelines for restitution, to the necessity of international cooperation. Now ratified by 149 states, the 1970 Convention was a turning point in the fight against the global trade in looted artifacts.

The 1970 UNESCO Convention marks a key date when considering the provenance of antiquities. In order to be compliant with the 2008 AAMD Guidelines on the Acquisition of Archaeological Material and Ancient Art (revised 2013), museums should “not normally acquire” any ancient artwork without a documented provenance prior to 1970, unless it can be established that the antiquity left its country of discovery before 1970 or was legally exported after 1970.

In accordance with AAMD guidelines, museums must research and carefully decide whether an antiquity without documented provenance prior to 1970 constitutes a permitted exception to this rule. If so, the museum must report its justification and provide an image to AAMD for inclusion on its registry (AAMD 2013, Sections E-H). AAMD also establishes a carve-out for gifts given or promised prior to 2008, which may inform a museum’s decision-making process.

LACMA carefully evaluates the provenance of all antiquities, whether they are already in the collection or are being considered for acquisition. Archaeological looting is an ongoing issue, especially in conflict zones. In adherence with both legal requirements and industry standards, LACMA is committed to continued research and transparency for the antiquities it collects and displays.

NAGPRA (Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act)

In 1990, federal protections for Native American and Hawaiian communities seeking restitution of human remains and certain cultural objects were enshrined in the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). The enactment of NAGPRA followed more than a decade of indigenous activism and legal actions against museums and other cultural institutions charged with the unethical possession of stolen objects and human remains.

NAGPRA establishes a formal legal process (1) for Native American and Hawaiian communities to submit restitution claims, and (2) for museums and communities to share research and information, including through tribal consultation. It also identifies a number of conditions that, if satisfied, obligate restitution to an indigenous tribe or community of origin. The requirements set out in NAGPRA apply retroactively to cultural objects and human remains taken prior to the law’s enactment in 1990. Updates to NAGPRA in 2024 significantly revised the timelines and evidentiary burdens outlined in the original legislation.

NAGPRA applies to museums and other cultural institutions that receive federal funding. California museums that receive state funding must also adhere to related legislation set out in CalNAGPRA. For more information, please see the links below.

LACMA is committed to the ethical collection and stewardship of artworks of Native American and Hawaiian origin. The museum is actively researching its collections in consultation with tribal communities and in compliance with NAGPRA and all related legislation. We welcome any questions, concerns, or information about the Native American and Hawaiian objects in our collection.

Colonial-Era Provenance and Legacies of Conflict

LACMA is committed to researching and carefully evaluating artworks in our collection that were previously bought, sold, acquired, and/or exported in the context of colonial occupation. The history of colonialism in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries is a history of unequal power relations in which certain states, polities, and communities were subjugated, often brutally, by others. Colonial conquest and occupation frequently went hand-in-hand with cultural dispossession: for example, looting, theft, and forced sales initiated under duress and even during armed conflict. Periods of conflict and unrest have also facilitated systematic art looting outside of colonial contexts, both historically and in the present day.

LACMA recognizes the sensitive ethical conversations surrounding objects with colonial-era provenances and acts in compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and industry guidelines (please see the link below). As we continue to research our collections, we welcome any questions or information about artworks whose ownership histories implicate the legacies of colonialism and conflict.