The painting Landschap met vesting (Landscape with fortress) (1640-1660) by Abraham van Begeyn is the subject of the In Pursuit of Provenance blog this time. In this series we discuss objects from the Netherlands Art Property Collection (NK Collection) on which provenance research is being carried out. The NK Collection comprises objects that were recovered to the Netherlands after World War II, among other things. These include paintings and works on paper, as well as furniture and ceramics. By giving a major boost to the research we hope to find new provenance details.
The 17th century Landschap met vesting (Landscape with fortress) depicts a fort with groups of people in the foreground. The painter has masterfully captured the light and shadows. The painting has had a long and eventful past, parts of which are unknown.
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Abraham Begeyn, Landschap met vesting (Landscape with fortress), 1640-1660, NK3097, 73.3 x 131.5 cm.
The provenance research
There are many gaps in the provenance history of this work. Before the war it was in France and Great Britain. Up until 1853 it was owned by the French King, Louis-Phillippe. From 1942 it was in the possession of A. Nusink, in Amsterdam, about whom we know little. After this the painting changed hands between various private owners and art dealers. Between June 1942 and the end of 1943 it was probably owned by Smit and after that in the possession of Lippmann, Rosenthal & Co (LiRo), an organisation to which Jewish residents were forced to hand over their valuables during World War II. There are provenance gaps between the above names and individuals who remain unidentified.
From the report forms completed after the war it appears that the work was likely sold by LiRo during or after 1943. It was probably successively owned by J.P. Kaussen in Amsterdam and then Baron H. von Rautenberg, Salzburg, Austria. Unfortunately we have not been able to find any further leads in the LiRo archive documents. It is unclear who the owner was before it ended up with LiRo or who was forced to surrender it there.
Looking for the story behind the numbers
Provenance research is not just about archive work but also involves a thorough examination of the back and interior of an object. The 'Landschap met vesting' painting is no exception.
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Abraham Begeyn, Landschap met vesting (Landscape with fortress), 1637-1697. NK3097, 73.3 x 131.5 cm (rear showing various stickers and inscriptions).
Numbers have been written on the back of the painting in blue chalk, probably by the Monuments Men, as they were known. These were allied troops who were involved with the recuperation of stolen artworks during and shortly after the war. These numbers could refer to a shipment or inventory list. Attempts to discover the meaning and background to the numbers have proved fruitless. Unfortunately, we have been unable to link these numbers to a specific source, so this approach also failed to provide any new provenance details.
Rear of painting by Abraham Begeyn, Landschap met vesting (Landscape with fortress), 1640-1660, NK3097, 73.3 x 131.5 cm.
One possibility is that the numbers relate to the salt mine in Altaussee, Austria. This site was used during the war as a repository for many of the art objects stolen by the Nazis. Almost 5,000 artworks from all over Europe were kept in the mine. During the war this work by Begeyn was in Salzburg, Austria. Works of art that were in this region during the war were often stored in the salt mine.
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The salt mine in Altaussee with art at the end of the war.
Can you help us?
Object and archive research have so far not yielded any clues about the original owner. We have consulted various sources, including Fold3, the German Historical Museum (DHM), the archive of The Netherlands Art Property Foundation (SNK), the Netherlands Institute for Art History (RKD) and contacted the museum located in the salt mine in Altaussee: all with no result.
The question remains: who was the original owner of this artwork and how did it end up with the LiRo organisation? If you recognize this painting, the numbers on the back, or have any information about its origins, please contact us. Any leads, from either before or during the war, could be important in helping us to find the rightful owner.
Do you have any further information on this object? If so, please contact us at: restitutie@cultureelerfgoed.nl.
Provenance researchers at the RCE
A team of provenance researchers at the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands (RCE) is working on renewed and additional provenance research on objects held in the Netherlands Art Property Collection (NK Collection). Part of their work is to make the research results accessible online and to extract relevant information and data in a sustainable manner. This major research impetus helps to bring the objects into even better focus.
This blog was written by Billy Bran and Laurie Gnade, provenance researchers at the RCE.