Provenance is the origin of an object. The word comes from the Latin "provenire" - to come from, to originate from. Tracing the origin of a work of art is the task of provenance research. The aim is to establish as fully as possible the history and journey of an object from its creation to the present day. It is particularly important in the case of illegal changes of ownership. For example, the Von der Heydt Museum is conducting intensive research into which works of art were confiscated as a result of persecution during the Nazi era.
The so-called provenance traffic light helps with the initial classification of a work. It indicates the status of the research.
If the traffic light is green, the history of the work for the period 1933 to 1945 is fully known and unobjectionable.
If the light is yellow, the history of the work for the period 1933-1945 is unclear and requires further research.
Orange means that the history of the work for the period 1933-1945 is doubtful and urgently requires further research, as there is evidence of a Nazi-induced seizure.
If the traffic light is red, it is certain that the work was confiscated as a result of persecution between 1933 and 1945. The legal successors of the original owners must be sought and a solution found with them.
