Professional paper
The Return of the Paintings by Maurice de Vlaminck and Adré Derain to the Heirs of Dane Reichsmann - A Case Study of Their Storage in the Modern Gallery / National Museum of Modern Art from 1946 to 2023
Lada Bošnjak Velagić
; National Museum of Modern Art, Zagreb
Abstract
The aim of this article is to describe and document the process of returning two paintings held in the National Museum of Modern Art to the heirs of their rightful owners. The paintings in question, “Still Life with a Bottle” by André Derain and “Landscape by the Water” by Maurice de Vlaminck, were part of Dane Reichsmann’s collection before World War II. The article presents a brief history of the owner’s family and the fate of the artworks during and after the war, emphasizing the role of the Commission for Gathering and Protection of Cultural Monuments and Antiquities and their registration in the inventory of the Modern Gallery. Special attention is given to the restitution process, enabled by a 2020 ruling of the Zagreb Municipal Civil Court. The transfer of the artworks and its coverage in the media are described. The article concludes by highlighting the significance of provenance research into artworks confiscated during the war and post-war periods, a field advanced through the increasing collaboration between Croatian institutions and the World Jewish Restitution Organization. This research is critical for the restitution of long-unjustly appropriated property and represents a historical, moral, and professional obligation for heritage institutions and all other relevant authorities.
Keywords
Restitution; World Jewish Restitution Organization; National Museum of Modern Art, Zagreb
Hrčak ID:
331588
URI
Publication date:
12.12.2024.
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