The Kunsthaus Zürich, a prominent art museum in Switzerland, has announced its decision to remove five paintings from its exhibition following an investigation into their potential connection to Nazi-looted art during World War II.
The paintings, part of the Emil Bührle Collection, include works by renowned artists like Claude Monet and Vincent Van Gogh. The museum’s action aligns with new guidelines implemented to address the significant number of cultural artifacts yet to be returned to their rightful owners after being stolen.
Questions have long lingered regarding the provenance of the Bührle Collection, named after Emil Bührle, a German arms dealer who amassed his wealth during World War II by manufacturing and selling weapons to the Nazis. By the time of his death in 1956, Bührle had accumulated a collection of roughly 600 artworks. A large portion of these are managed by the Bührle Foundation and exhibited at the Kunsthaus through a 20-year loan agreement.
The artworks under investigation include:
- Jardin de Monet à Giverny by Claude Monet
- Portrait of the Sculptor Louis-Joseph by Gustave Courbet
- Georges-Henri Manuel by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec
- The Old Tower by Vincent Van Gogh
- La route montante by Paul Gauguin
A sixth piece from the collection, La Sultane by Édouard Manet, is also undergoing further scrutiny. However, the foundation believes the new guidelines do not apply to this painting, and it will be reviewed separately.
This specific work belonged to Silberberg, a German-Jewish industrialist whose extensive art collection was forcefully auctioned off by the Nazis. It is believed that he was murdered at the Auschwitz concentration camp during the Holocaust. As reported by the Neue Zürcher Zeitung, it remains unclear whether Silberberg was forced to sell La Sultane or if he did so due to financial reasons.
In a statement, the board of directors of the Emil Bührle Collection Foundation declared its commitment to “seeking a fair and equitable solution for these works with the rightful successors of the former owners, in accordance with best practices.”
Switzerland is among over 20 countries that have agreed to the US State Department’s new best practices regarding the handling of Nazi-looted art.
This news underscores the ongoing efforts to identify and return stolen art to its rightful owners, ensuring justice and closure for those impacted by Nazi persecution.
