Provenienzforschung in der Anhaltischen Gemäldegalerie Dessau: Zugänge in der Gemäldesammlung 1933–1945

The Anhalt Picture Gallery was established upon the initiative of the Anhalt state to bring together art treasures which were scattered throughout the state, primarily from the Princely House of Anhalt. The unification of ducal collections was further enhanced by loans from the municipal art collection and the State itself, leading to the opening of the museum in 1927. Over time, the collection expanded to include contemporary art, with acquisitions e. p. from the Anhaltischer Kunstverein and Bauhaus artists. Acquisitions from ducal property continued until the late 1930s. The museum's profile, spanning from the late 15th to the early 19th century, is still primarily characterised by the princely collections. In addition to paintings of national and international significance, the gallery holds an extensive collection of around 8,000 drawings and 9,000 prints.

However, due to the loss of original documentation such as inventories or other acquisition records pre-1945, tracing the origins of many of those art objects is challenging. The need for further provenance research, particularly for Nazi-looted property, was identified during an initial check in 2020. The current research project aims to determine the number of paintings with unclear provenance for the first time. The scope is also to be determined for the graphic collection. The focus is on acquisitions from the art trade and private collections, as well as additions related to associations such as Lodges.

© Anhaltische Gemäldegalerie Dessau.