Preliminary investigation, prioritisation, initial research (VPE I)
The project involves cataloguing and digitising two key archive collections covering the years 1933 to 1960. In addition, the collection database is being expanded to include an interoperable archive module.
About the project
To establish sustainable research, guidelines are required. The project examined methodologies using selected objects as case studies in order to gain experience.
This enabled the definition of standards that guarantee sustainable provenance research within the collection. The ‘VPE I’ project had set itself two objectives. Firstly, the aim was to gain an overview of the collection. Secondly, guidelines, standards and updated processes were required to embed the research area within the museum.
Approach
Provenance research must be considered in the long term. With a collection of the size of the HMB, several decades are needed to gain an overview of the provenance of the objects. To guarantee a consistent quality of research, guidelines and standards are required.
These are largely lacking for the wide range of cultural-historical objects. The VPE I project combined these two needs, developing guidelines by examining randomly selected objects from different categories for contexts of injustice. Using the experience gained, requirements were defined and standards developed.
- Duration: January 2024 – December 2025
- Participants: Renato Moser, Patrick Moser, Mirjana Murer, Daniel Suter, curators, conservators-restorers
- Objective: Research into objects in the collection and the definition of provenance research standards as a basis for a consistent approach and standardised documentation
- Funding: Canton of Basel-Stadt, framework expenditure authorisation for active provenance research in the cantonal museums of Basel-Stadt for the years 2023 to 2026/29
Donation from the Dr. h. c. Emile Dreyfus Foundation
Since 1969, over 400 objects from the estate of Dr h.c. Emile Dreyfus have enriched the HMB’s collection. The objects, initially accepted as permanent loans and still on display in the permanent exhibition today, include 18th-century French furniture, selected ceramics, and gold and silver works. In 2021, these objects were donated to the HMB by the Dr h.c. Emile Dreyfus Foundation. The Government Council of the Canton of Basel-Stadt approved the donation and commissioned the HMB to research the provenance of the objects and publish the results.
For 82 inventory numbers, a ‘Basischeck’ had to be carried out due to gaps in the records between 1933 and 1945, in order to assess the risk of loss resulting from Nazi persecution.
The ‘Basischeck’ at the HMB is a standardised procedure for checking collection objects for unlawful provenance and enabling a well-founded risk assessment. This involves evaluating the object-related documents in the museum archive and consulting relevant loss and research databases as well as the corresponding literature.
A detailed physical examination was also carried out on 29 objects. These investigations are conducted on an interdisciplinary basis to enable all evidence to be recorded, documented and interpreted in detail.
No evidence of a clear link to loss resulting from Nazi persecution was found for any of the objects. Three inventory numbers could be assigned to BAK Category A. This states: ‘The provenance between 1933 and 1945 can be reconstructed and is unobjectionable. It can be ruled out that the object is Nazi-looted art.’
The remaining 79 inventory numbers fall into BAK Category B: “The provenance between 1933 and 1945 is not clearly established or contains gaps. However, the available information suggests an unobjectionable provenance.” Nevertheless, in-depth research was carried out on 23 objects to identify previous owners and fill in the gaps.
Reports on the project’s conclusion
The VPE I project, supported by the ‘Framework Expenditure Authorisation for Active Provenance Research in Cantonal Museums’, has examined 192 objects over the past two years. The ‘Guidelines for Provenance Research at the HMB’ set out processes and standards as an interim result of this project. These form an important basis for the newly implemented provenance research and are a prerequisite for a uniform approach and the sustainable use of the results.
During the project, 150 objects were examined for loss resulting from Nazi persecution. These underwent a basic check. During the basic check, the object-related documents in the museum archive were evaluated and searches for the objects were carried out in relevant databases and literature. Where possible, an object examination was carried out. For four objects, the provenance chains could be documented for the critical period between 1933 and 1945. These objects could be classified as Category A (unobjectionable) and require no further research. Further research is required for the 144 objects in Category B in order to fill the existing gaps. To date, no accompanying circumstances have been found for these objects that require priority research. Two objects had to be assigned to Category C. In-depth research is currently being carried out on these objects to investigate the legality of the changes of ownership.
The HMB collection must not be examined solely for losses resulting from Nazi persecution, as the diversity of object types means that links to other contexts of injustice within the collection may also be found. For example, colonial contexts or breaches of the Cultural Property Transfer Act (KGTG) must be kept in mind. For 24 objects, links to a context of colonial injustice cannot be ruled out. These objects require further research.