Provenance Research

The provenance research conducted by the Heidi Horten Collection systematically examines the history of all works of art in the collection—paintings, sculptures, prints, and decorative arts—created before 1945. The focus is on comprehensively clarifying ownership relationships during the period from 1933 to 1945 in order to identify or rule out any confiscation or forced sale resulting from Nazi persecution. In the event of a proven confiscation or forced sale during the specified period, the former owners or their legal successors are contacted to reach a fair and just solution in accordance with the Washington Principles adopted in 1998. As a private museum, the Heidi Horten Collection thus follows the lead of the Austrian federal museums, which have been systematically reviewing their collections since the adoption of the Art Restitution Act of 1998.

The Heidi Horten Collection’s provenance research is guided by the methodological standards and guidelines of the Provenance Research Guide, which was published in 2019 in collaboration with ICOM, among others.

The results of the provenance research are continuously presented on the Heidi Horten Collection’s website.

For inquiries, comments, or additional information, please contact the Head of Collections: Dr. Alena Volk