Switzerland’s Kunsthaus Zurich museum has made a bold decision to remove five paintings from its exhibition, including works by renowned artists such as Claude Monet and Vincent van Gogh. The move comes as the museum investigates whether these paintings were looted by the Nazis during World War Two.
The Emil Bührle Collection, named after a German-born arms dealer who profited from selling weapons to the Nazis, has long been under scrutiny for the provenance of its artworks. The decision to remove the paintings follows the publication of new guidelines aimed at addressing the issue of cultural works that have not been returned to their rightful owners.
Among the paintings under investigation are Jardin de Monet à Giverny by Claude Monet, Portrait of the Sculptor Louis-Joseph by Gustave Courbet, and The Old Tower by Vincent van Gogh. The foundation board for the Emil Bührle Collection has stated its commitment to finding a fair and equitable solution with the legal successors of the former owners.
One painting, La Sultane by Edouard Manet, has also come under scrutiny, but the foundation believes that it does not fall under the new guidelines. The foundation has expressed willingness to offer a financial contribution to the estate of Max Silberberg, a German Jewish industrialist whose art collection was sold at forced auctions by the Nazis.
The issue of Nazi-looted art has been a longstanding one, with over 100,000 paintings and numerous cultural objects still unrecovered. The new best practices issued by the US State Department aim to provide a framework for restitution for stolen or forcibly sold items.
The Emil Bührle Collection, which includes around 600 artworks, has been on display at the Kunsthaus Zurich as part of a 20-year loan. The museum’s decision to remove the paintings underscores the importance of addressing the legacy of Nazi looting and ensuring justice for the victims of this dark chapter in history.
