ITK02 - What’s in a Name?
La Ronde Enfantine, by Gustave Courbet (original image here)
A good reason to keep paperwork and documentation…
Over time, the title of a painting can change from the original ascribed by the artist and this can cause many issues. An 1863 painting by Gustave Courbet titled La Ronde Enfantine is now part of a restitution claim against the Fitzwilliam Museum, where the painting now resides. Seized in 1941 by the Nazis (either by forced sale or confiscation) from an unidentified Jewish owner, the painting was once part of Hermann Goering's collection, then later that of Joachim von Ribbentrop. After the end of WW II, it was with a Swiss dealer, sold to a London dealer and then gifted to the Fitzwilliam in 1951 by the purchaser from the London dealer. The painting may well be the same one listed in a 1945 US Army art spoliation report as Forest Scene (no photo). The controversy gives rise to the need for further study and provenance research. This case serves to emphasize the importance of keeping paperwork, not changing title, documenting and photographing your valuable properties.
A well written appraisal can serve as the basis for important decisions now and in the future.
